T;^^ STORY o 
BENJAMIN 



WAYNE 



V^HIPPLE 





Class CZP^ 



Book 



Copyright ]^°. 



7Z^ 



COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT. 



:;^ 




Frontispiece. 

HE SAW A YOUNG GIRL STAxXDING IN THE DOORWAY. 



The Story of 
Young Benjamin Franklin 



By 

WAYNE WHIPPLE 

Author of The Story of the American Flag, The Story of the 

Liberty Bell, The Story of the White House, The Story 

of Young- George Washington, the Story of 

Young Abraham Lincoln, etc. 



Illustrated 



PHILADELPHIA 

HENRY ALTEMUS COMPANY 



r^>^6'7Z 



IN UNIFORM STYLE BY THE 
SAME AUTHOR 

The Story of 

Young George Washington 

The Story op 

Young Abraham Lincoln 

The Story of 

Young Benjamin Franklin 

The Story of 

Young U. S. Grant 



Large 12mo Cloth, with Eight Full 

Page Illustrations in Color 

Frice, Each, 75 Cents 



HENRY ALTEMUS COMPANY 

PHILADELPHIA 



Copyright, 1916, by Howard E. Altemus 

'v ■ 

MAY 251916 



kl.A431229 



CONTENTS 

Chapter Page 

Introduction 7 

I. A Big Family and its Youngest Boy 15 

II. Learning and Earning 27 

III. Apprentice and Student 37 

IV. The Boy Contributor, Editor and Publisher 45 

V. Running Away From Home 57 

VI. Finding Friends in Philadelphia 69 

VII. The Return of the Runaway 81 

VIII. False Friends 89 

IX. Alone in London 105 

X. In Philadelphia Again Looking for Work 117 

XI. "B. Franklin and H. Meredith" 126 

XII. Correcting a "Great Erratum" 143 

XIII. "Poor Richard" 153 

XIV. "Many Inventions" and the Doctor's Degrees. . 169 
XV. For Colony and Country 188 

XVI. Pennsylvania's Agent in England 199 

XVII. Ten More Years in England 207 

XVIII. The Long War and Peace at Last 226 

XIX. Home at Last 246 



LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 

He Saw a Young Girl Standing in the Boonw ay. FrontispiZ 

The First Sold Wonderfully Facing 38 

We Landed at the Market Street Wharf « 66 

I Pitched Him Into the River « 92 

The "Water American" was Stronger than Them- 
selves « ^^g 

He Continued THE Quarrel « 222 

I WAS Not Above My Business « 140 

The Fibers of Hemp Began to Bristle « 184 



INTRODUCTION 



"The First and Greatest Aivierican" 



A great man is like a lofty mountain — ^you 
cannot take in his true grandeur except at a 
great distance. From a point near Pike's Peak 
you cannot discern how much higher the tower- 
ing mountain is than the hills around it. 

The same is true of Benjamin Franklin. The 
American Revolution developed a rare group of 
great men, so strong in their different ways that 
it was impossible at the time to distinguish the 
greatest. Even the first United States Congress 
did not appreciate Washington. Some of its 
members were jealous of him, and a neighbor 
once said: *^ Washington would never have been 
anything but a land surveyor if he had not mar- 
ried a wealthy widow!" With such petty no- 
tions the Congress, that should have helped and 
supported the commander-in-chief, hampered 

7 



Introduction 

and annoyed him, and was harder to cope with 
in some respects than the British and Hessian 
armies. 

If it had not been for Franklin's tactful work 
and influence in Europe, Washington could 
never have gained his final victory at Yorktown 
nor achieved the independence of the United 
States. This fact is not so widely known as it 
should be, so ^'The Story of Young Benjamin 
Franklin '^ is meant to show vividly how Frank- 
lin, the great-hearted inventor, philosopher and 
diplomat, induced princes and people of the Old 
World to send men, ships and money to conquer 
the British armies and thus gain the grand boon 
of Liberty for the American Colonies. 

It was by foreign nations that Franklin was 
first recognized as the greatest man of his time. 
Not only was he not appreciated in America, 
but he was narrowly misjudged because he was, 
in many respects, far in advance of his day. 

While in London, a journeyman printer of 
nineteen, young Franklin wrote a strong liberal 
pamphlet setting forth what were called infidel / 
ideas. This attracted the notice of some of the 
greatest minds in England. Franklin not only 
renounced the opinions given in this youthful 

8 



Introduction 

essay, which would not be taken more seriously 
nowadays than a thesis written by a young man 
in college, but he also wrote in his Autobiog- 
raphy that his allowing his admiring employer 
to print this pamphlet was one of the worst mis- 
takes he ever made. 

Franklin was so far ahead of the world in 
many of his ideas that even progressive America, 
though following him with rapid strides for 
nearly two centuries, has not yet caught up with 
him. 

He did not believe in the religion taught by 
the ministers of his day. He complained that 
they seemed to lose sight of the good they ought 
to be doing and wasted their efforts in mere 
theological arguments and bitter attacks on the 
beliefs of fellow Christians who did not think 
oust as they did. In this the Christian world 
now agrees with Franklin— that men ought to 
be good, and do good, and make good in their 
own daily living instead of theorizing and argu- 
ing about the doctrines of others. There is not 
one Churchman in a hundred to-day who would 
side with the ministers of that period against 
Benjamin Franklin, but the good philosopher's 
reputation suffers yet from the narrow notions 

9 



Introduction 

of the people who followed blinded leaders, in 
being afraid of ghosts and witches, and could 
not forgive Franklin for laughing at their fool- 
ish superstitions. 

Because Abraham Lincoln was not a member 
of a religious denomination, some people have 
claimed that he was an irreligious man and a 
skeptic. But the people now recognize the fact 
that Lincoln lived a devout Christian life. The 
world to-day would see, in Benjamin Franklin, 
the great desire to do good to everybody. His 
great inventions, the stove, the lightning rod and 
so forth, he gave to the people, never accepting 
a penny for patent rights, though they, especi- 
ally the stove, were so commonly used that he 
might have been, like King Solomon, the richest, 
as well as the wisest man in the world. He en- 
joyed knowing that the Franklin Stove was not 
only giving comfort but also saved fuel for the 
poor, and although others took advantage of his 
kindness by wrongfully applying for patents on 
his inventions, he could not bear the thought of 
receiving any pay from the pockets of his be- 
loved people. 

Beside his great love for everybody, Franklin 
was in earnest even about the forms of religion. 

10 



Introduction 

He counseled Tom Paine, the great skeptic of 
the time, not to publish his "Age of Reason,'* 
because of the harm such a book would do in the 
world. In the last years of his life, while a 
member of the convention which drafted the 
Constitution of the United States, Franklin 
made the motion that their daily deliberations 
should be opened with prayer. It was a Godless 
age. Men were influenced by French infidelity. 
(This is given as one reason that the name of 
God is not mentioned in the Constitution of the 
United States.) Franklin had lived many years 
in France, but his experiences there, instead of 
weakening his faith, seemed to strengthen it. 
His sorrow, when nearly all the members of the 
Constitutional Convention voted down his mo- 
tion, is one of the saddest incidents in his life. 
Few persons read the books that were written 
in America two hundred years ago. There is 
really but one book that has come down through 
the centuries, and that is Benjamin Franklin's 
story of his own life, told in such simple, 
straightforward language that it is still read 
by men, women and children as eagerly as if it 
were the latest popular novel. The great Ameri- 
can books of Franklin's time — "The Day of 

11 



Introduction 

Doom,'^ by Michael Wigglesworth, and "Mag- 
nalia Christi Americana," by the Reverend Doc- 
tor Cotton Mather — are interesting only as lit- 
erary curiosities, and amusing for their pompous 
narrow-mindedness. But they were read and 
feared by the American colonists who criticized 
the kindly philosopher, and did not like him be- 
cause he laughed at their silly superstitions. 

There was one thing for which the people 
could not forgive Franklin — that was his sense 
of humor. Yet Franklin laughed them out of 
their narrow lives. He laughed America into 
thrifty habits. His humor, as well as his phi- 
losophy and many inventions, helped mightly in 
making the United States free and independent 
among the world's Great Powers. His ^^soft 
answer" turned away the wrath, even of the 
British ministry. His tact and kindliness, in 
addition to his wonderful inventions and the 
witty sayings of ''Poor Richard," wielded so 
much power in France that Franklin — le grand 
Aynericain — set the fashions for Paris. Hats, 
canes, snuffboxes were named for him. He ex- 
ercised the mightiest influence over the civilized 
world of any human being of his time. 

In spite of the fact that he was followed and 

12 



Introduction 

adored like a demigod, Franklin was too modest 
to realize the mighty influence he was exerting. 
*^In that elder day to be an American was 
greater than to be a king," in the eyes of Conti- 
nental Europe, and that was all the simple, lov- 
ing, merry heart of Benjamin Franklin desired. 
He was the Father of the American Revolution, 
and, because he was a generation older than 
Washington and most of the men who achieved 
American Independence, the Grandfather of 
His Country. 

It is because of the fascinating interest of 
Franklin *s Autobiography that much of the best 
of it is quoted in the pages of "The Story of 
Young Benjamin Franklin," just as would have 
been done in the stories of "Young George 
Washington" and "Young Abraham Lincoln," 
if they had written out the heart story of their 
younger days as Franklin did. Clearly as he 
saw into the future, the kind old philosopher 
had no idea that he was writing the greatest 
autobiography ever produced, or that not only 
the library in Philadelphia ivhich he himself 
founded, but many other great libraries, as well, 
in America would have to keep scores of copies 
of his wonderful little book on their shelves to 

13 



Introduction 

supply the demand of the reading public. But 
he never finished his life story. Many writers, 
by patient and continued search, have developed 
more and more that is interesting about him — 
many incidents having been brought to light 
within the past few years. The best of all these 
data have been gathered from sources innum- 
erable and placed in attractive array in this book 
to give to Young America to-day a fair and 
grateful estimate of the man who was known as 
the greatest man of his time, and has come to 
be considered, in many-sidedness, in view of all 
he did for the world and achieved for his own 
country — *Hhe first and greatest American." 

Wayne Whipple. 



,i 



14 



THE STORY OF 
YOUNG BENJAMIN FRANKLIN 

CHAPTER I 



A Big Family and its Youngest Boy. 



In a small unpainted wooden house on Milk 
Street, nearly opposite the first little meeting- 
house of the Old South Church, Boston, lived 
Josiah Franklin. He was a good and wise man, 
much respected, although he was poor and had 
to work hard, with the help of his wife and chil- 
dren, to feed and clothe his large and growing 
family. 

Josiah Franklin was a well-educated man for 
those times. He had learned the dyer's trade in 
old England, but he found, after coming to 
America, that the people cared more to have 
their clothing warm and wear well than they did 
for the color or style of it. In fact, many who 

15 



The Story of Young 

lived in Boston then thought it wicked to wear 
any bright colors. For a man or woman 
to care for beauty in dress was a sign of 
sinful vanity, which made pious people shake 
their heads. 

So good Josiah Franklin had to find some 
other way to make a living than by dyeing. 
Looking about for work that was not being done 
by too many others, he decided that every family 
must have soap and candles. Though this work 
was not pleasant, because of the odor of boiling 
soapgrease and melting tallow, it was honest and 
useful, helping the neighbors keep clean and 
furnishing them with the means of lighting their 
homes — long before oil, gas and electricity were 
discovered. And the neighbors realized that 
some one must do these disagreeable duties, or 
they would all have to make soap and candles 
for themselves. 

Although Boston was, at this time, the largest 
town in America, everybody knew everybody. 
The neighbors knew that Abiah was Josiah 
Franklin's second wife and that she was a 
daughter of Peter Folger, the Quaker poet of 
Nantucket, who was also familiar with several 
languages and turned his knowledge to good ac- 

16 



Benjamin Franklin 

count as interpreter for the surrounding tribes 
of Indians. 

The neighbors knew, also, that two of the first 
Mrs. Franklin's younger sons had gone away so 
far that she never saw them again. James, one 
of these, was in England learning the printer's 
trade; and the other, young Josiah, had run 
away to sea. But Peter and John, the two older 
sons, stayed by to help their father carry on his 
business. 

In those early days the women had to work 
very hard, and even the little children had their 
work to do. This was true of the Franklin 
family. But it was pleasant at night, while the 
mother and children were resting and knitting 
and doing easy work by the light of the fire, to 
hear Father Josiah play again the psalm tunes 
on his violin with which he sometimes led the 
singing in meeting, and the songs they used to 
sing in Old England. And the neighbors, hear- 
ing the familiar strains that carried them, in 
memory, back '^home'' as they called it, floating 
on the evening air from the little brown house, 
felt more than paid for the few unpleasant 
whiffs that came out through the opened door 
during the day. 

17 

i — FrankHn. 



The Story of Young 

Into this already large and interesting family 
another child was born on a cold day, January 
6, 1706 (January 17, 1706, New Style/) The 
neighbors very soon heard about the new arrival, 
for the father insisted on taking the baby boy, 
through the snow, right across the street, as it 
was Sunday, to have him baptized. 

The record of this baptism, more than two 
hundred years ago, is still shown to visitors 
in the Old South Meetinghouse, in the quaint, 
half-printed writing of the minister, Will- 
ard: 

•*l^«|amUi, Bon af 3oatal| IFranklln mh 
Abtalj, Iftfi mxU" 

Benjamin was thus named for his uncle, 
Benjamin Franklin, then living in England. 
This uncle was a great reader and a writer of 
many rhymed verses. When Uncle Benjamin 
heard of his namesake across the sea, he wrote 
the baby boy a long piece which he called an 
^^acrostick," because it not only rhymed at the 
end but the letters beginning the lines, when 
read downward, spelled the name of both uncle 
and nephew: 

' The New Style Calendar was adopted in Great Britain, 1752. 

18 



Benjamin Franklin 

"B-E-N-J-A-M-I-N F-R-A-N-K-L-I-N" 

**Be to thy parents an obedient son ; 

^ach day let duty constantly be done ; 

AT'ever give way to sloth, or lust, or 
pride, 

H freed you'd be from thousand ills 
beside ; 

Above all ills be sure avoid the shelf ; 

in/an 's danger lies in Satan, sin, and 
self. 

In virtue, learning, wisdom, progress 
make; 

iV^e'er shrink at suffering for thy Sa- 
viour's sake. 

''I'^raud and all falsehood in thy deal- 
ings flee, 

i?eligious always in thy dealings be; 

Adore the Maker of thy inward part; 

A'^ow's the accepted time, give Him 
thy heart ; 

Keep a good conscience, 'tis a constant 
friend ; 

Like judge and witness this thy acts 
attend. 

In heart with bended knee, alone adore 

A'one but the Three in One for ever- 



more." 



19 



The Story of Young 

This was a strange way to write to a baby, but 
Uncle Benjamin knew very well that his acros- 
tic would be preserved as a family treasure 
(even a letter in those days was a rare thing) 
to be shown to the little boy when he grew old 
enough to read it himself. 

When Ben was four years old, some one gave 
him a trumpet and drum, and he made a great 
din, marching in and out of the house, tooting 
the trumpet and beating the drum. When Uncle 
Benjamin, over in England, heard of this, he 
wrote for his small nephew some more verses de- 
scribing the horrors of war, and warning the 
little boy never to be a soldier. 

Uncle Benjamin, like his brother Josiah, was 
a pious man. He wrote to say that he wished his 
namesake might become a minister, for the uncle 
had always been interested in preaching, though 
he had never been able himself to take the course 
of study necessary to become a minister. He 
had made up a system of shorthand of his own 
and had taken down hundreds of sermons while 
they were being preached, and he offered all 
these to help Ben if he would study for the 
ministry. 

Josiah Franklin would have been glad to give 

20 



Benjamin Franklin 

the tithe of his sons to the Lord, as he expressed 
it, for Benjamin was his tenth son, and fifteenth 
child, and five daughters had been born to him. 
But when Ben grew old enough to decide such 
matters for himself, he did not wish to be a 
clergyman, and Father Josiah and Uncle Benja- 
min had to give up their cherished plan for him. 
Wide and high as Benjamin Franklin's influ- 
ence might have been, if he had become a min- 
ister like Dr. Cotton Mather, who was the great- 
est preacher in America then, it would not have 
been one-tenth as great as Dr. Benjamin Frank- 
lin's, for he came to be the greatest and most 
influential man in the world, by faithfully fol- 
lowing his own leading, working, studying, read- 
ing and doing well everything that he had 
to do. 

Benjamin Franklin once said that he could 
not remember when he could not read. There 
were no children's books or stories in those days, 
excepting the best of all the stories found in the 
Bible. Boys were taught to read from the 
sacred book. Uncle Benjamin's poetry was very 
different from the nursery jingles and rhymes 
that amuse little children nowadays, but the 
Franklin family had a neighbor whose melodies 

21 



The Story of Young 

were to become nearly as well known as any- 
thing that Benjamin ever wrote. Mother Goose, 
as she was called, was living in Boston, making 
up and singing funny songs to her own grand- 
child while Ben Franklin was still a little child. 
Her real name was Mrs. Isaac Vergoose, and 
her daughter, Elizabeth, married Thomas Fleet, 
a printer who kept a shop in Pudding Lane. It 
is claimed by several good people that Printer 
Fleet wrote down the quaint rhymes that his 
mother-in-law sang to his child — ^her grandchild 
— ^without Grrandmother Vergoose 's knowledge, 
and published them as ^'Mother Goose Melodies" 
in a little paper book, in 1719, which he sold at 
^*two coppers" each. 

It is true that there was an imaginary Mother 
Goose who wrote long stories and songs in 
French centuries before Franklin's time, and 
the two Mother Gooses may have been confused 
since then, but there can be no doubt that Grand- 
mother Goose did sing some of the songs to 
Thomas Fleet's child that are familiar to chil- 
dren all over the world now in *' Mother Goose 
Melodies." 

Before Baby Ben could remember, his father 
moved from the little house on Milk Street to 

22 



Benjamin Franklin 

one almost as small on the corner of Hanover 
and Union Streets, where he hung out over the 
front door two blue balls about the size of a 
man's head, as a sign to show that he sold blue- 
ing as well as candles, soap and other articles 
for washing and housekeeping. 

Benjamin once wrote that he could remember 
when thirteen Franklin children sat around the 
family table. He did not even mention the 
names of all his brothers and sisters. His 
youngest sister Jane, or Jenny, was the seventh 
daughter and the seventeenth and youngest 
child, born when Benjamin was six years old. 
He often wrote to her and went to Boston to see 
her after all the others had gone. Jenny was 
the only one of seventeen children who lived 
longer than her famous brother. 

Uncle Benjamin soon came across the ocean to 
live with his brother Josiah and help train and 
educate his little namesake nephew, though he 
had a son, Samuel, who was then learning the 
cutlery, or the knife and tool trade, and after- 
ward set up business in Boston. 

While Ben was still a young boy, his runaway 
brother, Josiah, came home one day and sur- 
prised thftm all, for they had not heard from him 

23 



The Story of Young 

for so long they had given him up for dead. He 
was himself surprised, for he found his own 
mother had died while he was away, and there 
was a new mother in her place with several more 
children in the family, of whom little Ben was 
the youngest boy. Of course, Josiah had plenty 
of stories to tell about pirates and of his own 
hardships and adventures which all boys — and 
Benjamin Franklin was a real boy — delight to 
hear. Ben had, like many other boys, a great 
longing for '^a life on the ocean wave," even 
after Josiah went away again and was never 
heard of afterward. 

It must not be supposed that because there 
were no books for boys and girls, nor baseball, 
nor moving-picture shows that the children had 
no sports or excitements. In those days the 
children had active games requiring strength, 
skill and heroism, and as for excitement, there 
were Indians around Boston, who sometimes 
went on the war-path, and some of the children 
were stolen by savages and had thrilling experi- 
ences. There had recently been Indian mas- 
sacres, not far from Boston, that made wonder- 
fully good stories to tell at night by the great 
firesides; and even the best educated people — 

24 



Benjamin Franklin 

ministers and doctors — ^believed in ghosts and 
witches. 

And bears I If children behaved with disre- 
spect toward their elders, they were warned of 
the fate of the naughty children in the Old 
Testament, who jeered at the prophet, Elisha, 
and bears came out of the wood and devoured 
them. In one of the earliest newspapers ever 
printed in Boston was the following item, which 
must have carried terror to many little hearts 
when they heard it read : 

"It is thought that not less than twenty Bears 
have been killed in a week's time within two 
miles of Boston. Two have been killed below 
the Castle, as they were swimming from one 
island to another, and one attempted to board a 
boat out in the bay, but the men defended them- 
selves with a boathook and oars and then killed 
her. 

"On Tuesday last two were killed at Dor- 
chester (now part of Boston), one of which 
weighed 60 pounds a quarter. 

"We hear from Providence that bears appear 
to be very thick in those parts.'' 

So the Franklins, old and young, had plenty 
of work to do in the day time and enough to 

25 



The Storjr of Young 

think and talk about at table and during the 
long winter evenings before the great, open fire- 
place with its big blazing backlog. 

As for the witches and ghosts of the people's 
frightened imaginations, no one ever did more 
than Benjamin Franklin to rid the minds of the 
people of such foolish ideas. But many per- 
sons did not like him on this account. They 
thought he was a wicked man because he was too 
sensible to believe in such things and laughed at 
their superstitions. 

Of his early life in the little Boston home, 
Benjamin Franklin, when he was an old man, 
wrote to his only living sister, Jenny: 

*'It was indeed a lowly dwelling that we were 
brought up in, but we were fed plentifully, made 
comfortable with fire and clothing, had seldom 
any contention among us, but all was harmoni- 
ous, especially between the heads (parents), and 
they were universally respected — and the most 
of the family in good reputation — this is still 
happier than multitudes enjoy." 



26 



Benjamin Franklin 



CHAPTER II 



Learning and Earning 



It was a noisy, overcrowded house, but it was 
a happy home. As soon as they were old 
enough the children all had to work, the girls as 
well as the hoys, to help provide food and cloth- 
ing for the large household. There were no 
ready-made clothing stores where young Ben 
Franklin could be taken to buy him a suit of 
clothes. The women had to spin wool and flax 
and weave the cloth of which the men's and boys' 
winter and summer suits were made, besides 
making up the cloth into clothing. 

The first story Benjamin Franklin related of 
his boyhood was told by way of illustration. Ou 
a holiday in Boston town, when he was about 
seven years old, some one gave Ben a handful 
of pennies, probably to see whether he would 
save or spend them. 

The little fellow put the precious coias in his 

27 



The Story of Young 

pocket and started out, feeling very rich. In 
the street he met a boy with a whistle, which 
must have been a poor affair, but its shrill notes 
were music to the ear of the little boy with the 
pennies. Ben wanted that whistle. He could 
have bought a better toy at the store for less than 
half the money, but he could not wait — ^he 
wanted that whistle rigJit away! He offered the 
boy all his pennies for it, and of course the bar- 
gain was made at once. 

Ben came home, proud of his whistle, and its 
piercing notes were added to the other noises in 
the small house filled with growing children. 
The boy and his whistle soon became a nuisance. 
They asked him where he got it, and he told 
them. They all laughed when they found that 
he had paid all his money for one second-hand 
whistle. *'You cheated yourself,'' they said, 
**for you paid that boy several times as much as 
the thing is worth!" They made so much fun 
of him about his bad bargain that poor little Ben 
lost all the pride and pleasure he took in his 
purchase. More than sixty years after this Dr. 
Franklin wrote about his first bargain: ^*I cried 
with vexation ; and my reflections gave me more 
chagrin than the whistle gave me pleasure." 

28 



Benjamin Franklin 

It was a bitter lesson for the little boy, and 
he always remembered it, for he related, long 
afterward, that the experience had taught him 
this: *^When I was tempted to buy some un- 
necessary thing, I said to myself, * Don't pay too 
much for the whistle,' and so saved my money." 

Ben was a sturdy little fellow, good natured, 
observing and thoughtful. It is told of him that 
he got up a new game for his comrades to play 
— running past a shop window and each boy tell- 
ing all he saw in one quick glance. It is said that 
Benjamin always beat at that game and learned 
to notice so quickly that he *' could see more in 
crossing the street than most men could in cross- 
ing the ocean." 

In his account of his life Franklin tells of an 
escapade in which he got a number of playmates 
into trouble. Here is his own story of the affair : 

** Living near the water, I was much in and 
about it and learned to swim well, and to man- 
age boats; and when in a boat or canoe with 
other boys, I was commonly allowed to govern, 
especially in any case of difficulty; and upon 
other occasions I was generally a leader among 
the boys and sometimes led them into scrapes, of 
which I will mention one instance as it shows an 

29 



The Story of Young 

early projecting public spirit, though not then 
justly conducted. 

*^ There was a salt marsh that bounded part of 
the mill pond, in the edge of which, at high 
water, we used to stand and fish for minnows. 
By much trampling we had made it a mere 
quagmire (mudhole). My proposal was to 
build a wharf there fit for us to stand upon, and 
I showed my comrades a large heap of stones 
which were intended for a house near the marsh, 
and which would very well suit our purpose. 

** Accordingly, in the evening, when the work- 
men were gone, I assembled a number of my 
playfellows, and working with them diligently, 
like so many emmets (ants), sometimes two or 
three to a stone, we brought them all away and 
built our little wharf. The next morning the 
workmen were surprised at missing the stones, 
which were found in our wharf. Inquiry was 
made after the removers: we were discovered 
and complained of ; several of us were corrected 
by our fathers ; and though I pleaded the useful- 
ness of the work, mine convinced me that noth- 
ing was useful which was not honest." 

When he was eight years old Benjamin was 
sent to a grammar school, and he passed all the 

30 



Benjamin Franklin 

other boys in his studies and was promoted twice 
during the year, so he was sent to another school 
to learn writing and arithmetic. Of this school 
Franklin said: *'I learned fair writing pretty 
soon; but I failed in arithmetic, and made no 
progress in if 

At ten Ben was taken out of school, so that, 
though he attended a little longer than young 
Lincoln, he was through school at the age at 
Which the Lincoln lad began. Yet Benjamin 
Franklin became one of the greatest and best 
educated men in the world's history, because he 
kept on in the school of observation and experi- 
ence all his life long. 

When Ben was only ten his father needed his 
help in his soap and candle making. The boy 
began at once to show his genius for saving time 
and labor in his work. It is said that he carried 
his labor-saving ideas so far that, when he saw 
his father salting down a barrel of pork for fu- 
ture use, he asked : 

"Why don't you ask the blessing on that pork 
now, all at once, and save the time you spend 
every time we eat some of it?" 

No doubt pious Father Franklin was shocked 
at the small boy/s suggestion. 

31 



The Story of Young 

Benjamin's first work was cutting wicks for 
the candles, and learning to dip them into the 
hot tallow and raise them up to cool; then to 
dip them again, so more hot grease would stick 
to them, then lift them out to cool again, until 
enough tallow had adhered to the long wicks to 
make them look like icicles. Sometimes they 
poured the hot tallow into candle moulds, in 
which Ben had to draw the wicks. 

This was hard and confining work for a young 
lad, and Josiah Franklin saw that Benjamin did 
not like the trade. Besides, the older sons of 
that day thought it proper to treat their younger 
brothers roughly, and often harshly. ''Children 
should be seen and not heard," and a boy, to 
learn a trade, was bound by law to a master until 
he was twenty-one, or for a term of years named 
in his "indenture," the legal dociunent drawn 
up for that purpose. An apprentice boy was 
often treated unkindly. His indenture made 
him almost a slave, and if his master was cruel 
his lot was harder to bear than that of many of 
the negroes who lived in actual slavery. 

So the father tried to find another trade which 
his youngest boy would like better. One reason 
for this was that Ben had the same longing for 

32 



Benjamin Franklin 

the sea that the Virginia lad, George Washing- 
ton, had about twenty-five years later, while 
passing his restless boyhood on the banks of the 
Rappahannock and Potomac Rivers. Josiah 
Franklin took his youngest son out walking to 
''see joiners, bricklayers, turners, braziers, etc., 
at work, ' ' searching for something to please the 
boy. They finally decided to apprentice Ben to 
Uncle Benjamin's son, Samuel, who was a cutler, 
or maker of knives and other edged tools, but the 
cutler expected Uncle Josiah to pay a fee for 
the privilege of letting the boy work nine years 
for nothing until he was twenty-one. 

Benjamin's father did not have the money 
(probably one hundred dollars) to spare for an 
apprentice fee. So he decided to indenture the 
lad to his half-brother, James, a young man ten 
years older than Ben, to learn the printer's 
trade. Whatever Benjamin thought of his 
brother, he must have liked the work. Late in 
life he signed himself "Benjamin Franklin, 
Printer." 

Franklin once wrote to his son : 

''From a child I was fond of reading, and all 
the little money that came into my hands was 
ever laid out in books. This bookish inclination 

33 

3 — Franklin. 



The Story of Young 

determined my father to make me a printer, 
though he already had one son in that profes- 
sion. In 1717 my brother James returned from 
England with a press and letters (type) to set 
up his business in Boston. I liked it much bet- 
ter than that of my father, but still had a hanker- 
ing for the sea.'' 

Benjamin knew what he had to expect as an 
apprentice, for aside from the ordinary hard- 
ships of a printer's ''devil," as they call the boy 
in a printing office, his brother was not easy to 
get along with. But the lad was willing and in- 
genious, and began at once to be a great help to 
his brother. If James Franklin had shown his 
appreciation of this, matters might have gone 
more smoothly. But, instead of being properly 
pleased with the bright and useful things his ap- 
prentice brother did, the man was inclined to be 
fault-finding and unreasonable. Disputes arose 
between them which their father was called upon 
to ''judge," and he generally decided in favor 
of his youngest son. This may have made Ben- 
jamin conceited and James jealous. 

While doing printer's errands Ben made the 
acquaintance of several booksellers' appren- 
tices who let him take books home to read. This 

34 



Benjamin Franklin 

was a great risk. So eager was tlie Franklin 
boy to learn that he often sat up nearly all night 
to finish a book which was to be returned in time 
to be delivered to a customer next morning. If 
anything had happened to the precious volume 
they had lent without leave, the bookstore boys 
would have been punished, for, as they were 
"bound out" to the booksellers, they could not 
be discharged. 

But they all knew Ben Franklin would hold 
himself responsible, and he was so good-natured 
and witty that they liked him too well to refuse 
to do him a kindness. It is quite likely that the 
^proprietors of the bookshops knew what was go- 
ing on, and, seeing great promise in a boy so 
eager to learn, decided not to interfere. 

Though Franklin was not able to go to school 
after he was ten, he became the greatest scientist 
and philosopher of his time. He became fa- 
miliar with Latin and learned to speak French 
well enough to represent the United States at 
the court of France where he was able, as a dip- 
lomat and statesman, to do nearly as much as 
Washington did for his struggling country. 

Often men who have not been able to go 
through college think they have had no chance 

35 



The Story of Young 

in life. They lose sight of the fact that the most 
successful men have never had even high-school 
advantages. Much is said and written about 
*' self-made men.'' Every man who really 
amounts to anything in life is *' self-made." 

A college graduate may be and remain stupid 
and ignorant, while another without much 
schooling may become, as Benjamin Franklin 
became, one of the best educated men of his day. 
Schools are a great help, if rightly used, toward 
true success in life. They are necessary, in fact, 
though not all-important — since determined 
boys like Franklin, Washington and Lincoln 
schooled themselves and became great men. This 
is not because they lived so long ago, for many 
men of the present day have ''made" themselves 
in the sense that ''every man is the architect of 
his own fortune. 

The books that young Benjamin borrowed and 
sat up nights to read were not fiction. The first 
book he ever bought for himself was "The Pil- 
grim's Progress." Most of the books he read 
with such eagerness would not be considered 
fascinating by young people nowadays. Ben 
Franklin did not read for amusement or "merely 
to pass away; the time," but because he wanted 

36 



Benjamin Franklin 

to learn and be a benefit to others. "Look out 
for number one" is a selfish motto. No boy can 
become a really great man unless he thinks of 
others before himself. 



CHAPTER III 



Apprentice and Student 



Benjamin had begun to make rhymes when 
he was only seven years old, in writing to his 
Uncle Benjamin. In those days the story of a 
great event, like a shipwreck or a murder, was 
told in a long, rhymed narrative called a ballad. 
These ballads were as common as popular songs 
are to-day. So Benjamin, to increase his 
brother's business, wrote two ballads, one about 
a shipwreck in Boston harbor, and the other de- 
scribing the capture and hanging of a pirate. 
After Ben had written these he set them up, or 
** composed" them in type, and sold them 
through the streets of Boston town. Franklin 
himself tells of his experience as a *' ballad- 
monger:" 

37 



The Story of Young 

**I now took a fancy to poetry, and made some 
little pieces ; my brother, thinking it might turn 
to account, encouraged me, and put me on com- 
posing ballads. 

*^One was called 'The Lighthouse Tragedy,' 
and contained an account of the drowning of 
Captain Worthilake, with his two daughters ; the 
other was a sailor's song on the taking of 'Teach' 
(or Blackbeard), the pirate. They were 
wretched stuff, in the Grub Street ballad style; 
and when they were printed he sent me about 
the town to sell them. The first sold wonder- 
fully, the event being recent, having made a 
great noise. This flattered my vanity; but my 
father discouraged me by ridiculing my per- 
formances, and telling me verse-makers were 
generally beggars. So I escaped being a poet, 
most probably a very bad one." 

Here are the opening lines of Ben's ballad on 
Blackbeard, the pirate, which Franklin late in 
life, called "wretched stuff:" 



■'J 



''Will you hear of a bloody Battle, 
Lately fought upon the Seas, 
It will make your Ears to rattle, 
And your Admiration cease; 
38 




TllIC FJKST Sor.l) WON DERI- UrjvY. 



Benjamin Franklin 

Have you heard of Teach, the Rover, 
And his Knavery on the Main; 

How of Gold he was a Lover, 
How he lov'd all ill-got Gain?" 

Josiah Franklin proved himself to be a man 
of sound sense. His advice to his son appears 
always to have been wise. Here is another story 
told in Franklin's life-history: 

i i There was another bookish lad in town, John 
Collins by name, with whom I was intimately ac- 
quainted. We sometimes disputed (debated) 
and very fond we were of argument and very de- 
sirous of confuting (beating) one another, which 
disputatious (arguing) turn, by the way, is apt 
to become a very bad habit, making people often 
extremely disagreeable in company by the con- 
tradiction that is necessary to bring it into prac- 
tice; and thence, besides souring and spoiling 
the conversation, is productive of disgusts, and 
perhaps enmities where you may have occasion 
for friendship. I had caught it (the habit of 
arguing) by reading my father's books of dis- 
pute about religion. Persons of good sense, I 
have since observed, seldom fall into it (this 
habit) except lawyers, university men, and men 
of all sorts that have been bred at Edinburgh. 

39 



The Story of Young 

**A question was once, somehow or other, 
started between Collins and me, of the propriety 
of educating the female sex in learning, and 
their abilities for study. He was of opinion 
that it was improper, and that they (women) 
were unequal to it. 

**I took the contrary side, perhaps a little for 
dispute 's sake. lie was naturally more eloquent, 
had a ready plenty of words ; and sometimes, as 
I thought, bore me down more by his fluency 
than by the strength of his reasons. 

*'As we parted without settling the point, and 
were not to see each other again for some time, I 
sat down to put my arguments in writing, which 
I copied fair and sent to him. lie answered and 
I replied. Three or four letters of a side had 
passed when my father happened to find my pa- 
pers and read them. Without entering into the 
discussion, he took occasion to talk to me about 
the manner of my writing and observed that 
though I had the advantage of my antagonist 
in correct spelling and pointing (punctuation) 
(which I owed to the printing house), I fell far 
short in elegance of expression. I saw the jus- 
tice of his remarks, and thence grew more 
attentive to the manner in my writing, and 

40 



Benjamin Franklin 

determined to endeavor at improvement." 

The idea of two mere boys ** disputing" about 
the capabilities of the "female sex" seems rather 
ludicrous now. In common conversation a lady 
was often referred to as a "female." To-day 
there is no more respectful word for her than 
"woman." 

Franklin w^ent on to describe his efforts at ex- 
pressing himself well: 

"About this time I met with an odd volume 
of the * Spectator' (a magazine containing a col- 
lection of essays and discussions edited by Jo- 
seph Addison, known as the writer of most ele- 
gant English). I bought it and read it over and 
over, and was much delighted with it. I thought 
the writing excellent, and wished, if possible, to 
imitate it. 

"With this view I took some of the papers 
(articles) and, making short hints of the senti- 
ment in each sentence, laid them by a few days, 
and then, without looking at the book tried to 
complete the papers again, by expressing each 
hinted sentiment at length, and as fully as it 
had been expressed before, in any suitable 
words that should come to hand. Then I com- 
pared my * Spectator' with the original, dis- 

41 



The Story of Young 

coverod some of my faults and corrected them. 

*'But I found I wanted a stock of words, or a 
readiness in recollecting and using them, which 
I thought I should have acquired before that 
time if I had gone on making verses; since the 
continual occasion for words of the same im- 
port (meaning), but of different length, to suit 
the measure, or of different sound for the rhyme, 
would have laid me under constant necessity of 
searching for variety, and also have tended to 
fix tliat varii^ty in my mind, and make me mas- 
ter of it. 

'^Therefore I took some of the tales and 
turned them into verse ; and, after a time, when 
I had pretty well forgotten the prose, turned 
them back again. I also sometimes jumbled my 
collections of hints into confusion, and after 
some weeks endeavored to reduce them into the 
best order, before I began to form the full sen- 
tences and complete the paper. 

''This was to teach me method in the arrange- 
ment of thoughts. By comparing my work 
afterwards with the original, I discovered many 
faults and amended them; but I sometimes had 
the pleasure of fancying that, in certain par- 
ticulars of small import, I had been lucky 

42 



Benjamin Franklin 

cnoii^^h to iini)rovo the method or the language, 
and this encouraged me to think I might pos- 
sibly in time come to be a tolerabk^ ]^]nglish 
writer, of which I was extremely ambitious. 

'*My time for these exercises and for reading 
was at night after work, or before it began in 
the morning." 

When Ben was fifteen or sixteen he happened 
to read a book against the eating of meat. This 
made a deep impression on the lad's mind. His 
brother, being unmarried, boarded, with his ap- 
prentices, in another family. ]3en's eating only 
V(5getable food made trouble in th(ur boarding- 
house, and James scolded the boy for being so 
peculiar. Benjamin stuck to his vegetable diet 
and told his brother he would board himsc^lf for 
half the money James was then paying for him. 
ITis brother at once agreed to this, and out of 
that half, young Ikvn saved liali' the amount 
James paid him. Of this Franklin afterward 
wrote: 

^'This was an additional fund for buying 
books. But I had another advantage in it. My 
brother and the rest going from the printing 
house to tludr meals, I remained there alone, 
and, despatching presently my light repast, 

43 



The Story of Young 

which was often no more than a biscuit or a slice 
of bread, a handful of raisins or a tart from the 
pastry cook's, and a glass of water, I had the 
rest of the time till their return for study, in 
which I made the greatest progress, from that 
greater clearness of head and quicker apprehen- 
sion which usually attend temperance in eating 
and drinking.'' 

About this time, also, something happened 
which made the printer's apprentice ashamed of 
his ignorance of arithmetic, in which he had 
^'failed twice in learning when at school" six or 
eight years before. So he got a text-book and 
studied arithmetic by himself, mastering the 
book ''with great ease." 

This "printer's devil" also read "The Art of 
Thinking" and Locke's "Essay on Human Un- 
derstanding," Xenophon's "Memorabilia of 
Socrates," besides the philosophical works of 
Shaftesbury and Collins. His fellow-appren- 
tices must have thought Ben Franklin was a 
queer sort of fellow, always poring over books 
on subjects which they could not understand. No 
doubt they could not see any sense in his staying 
alone in the printer's shop eating crackers, 
drinking water and reading dry essays and dis- 

44 



Benjamin Franklin 

cussions while they were having a good dinner 
with their employer. But no one knows now 
who those apprentices were, and no one cares, 
except for the mere fact they worked in the shop 
with Benjamin Franklin. 

By studying whenever he could, and saving 
half the small sum he was allowed for board, 
the young apprentice was putting into practice 
one of his own hiter maxims — ^^ Empty thy purse 
into thy head/' 



CHAPTER IV 



The Boy Contributor, Editor and Publisher 



"In A little time," wrote Franklin, *'I made 
a great proficiency in the business, and became 
a useful hand to my brother." The lad knew 
this well enough, though his brother did not tell 
him he was '^a useful hand." Parents did not 
encourage their children in well doing in those 
days, and tradesmen believed in "keeping 
down" their apprentices. 

After Benjamin had been with his brother 

45 



The Story of Young 

three years, James Franklin decided to start a 
newspaper. They named it the ''New England 
Courant." Some people shook their heads, for 
there were already three in the United States — 
the ''News Letter,'^ and the "Gazette," pub- 
lished in Boston, and one, the "American 
Weekly Mercury," in Philadelphia. Those wise 
men thought the country could never support 
four weekly newspapers I A daily paper had not 
.yet been thought of. James Franklin's "Cour- 
ant" was the first sensational or "yellow" jour- 
nal, in America at least. The freedom of the 
press, as it is believed in to-day, would have 
seemed a terrible thing to those in authority. 

Franklin went on about his brother's news- 
paper : 

"I remember his being dissuaded by some 
friends of his from the undertaking. He went 
on, however, and after having worked in com- 
posing (setting) the types and printing oif the 
sheets, I was employed to carry the papers 
through the streets to the customers. 

"lie (James) had some ingenious (clever or 
smart) men among his friends who amused 
themselves by writing little pieces for the paper, 
which gained it credit and made it more in de- 

46 



Benjamin Franklin 

mand, and these gentlemen often visited us. 
Hearing their conversations, and their accounts 
of the approbation their papers (articles) were 
received with, I was excited to try my hand 
among them ; but, being still a boy, and suspect- 
ing that my brother would ol)ject to printing 
anything of mine in his paper if he knew it to be 
mine, I contrived to disguise my hand, and, writ- 
ing an anonymous paper, I put it in at night un- 
der the door of the printing house. It was found 
in the morning and communicated to his writing 
friends when they called in as usual. They read 
it, commented on it in my hearing, and I had the 
exquisite pleasure of finding it met with their 
approbation, and that, in different guesses at the 
author, none were named but men of some char- 
acter among us for learning and ingenuity. I 
suppose now that I was very lucky in my judgc^s, 
and that perhaps they were not really so very 
good ones as I then esteemed them. 

** Encouraged, however, by this, I wrote and 
conveyed in the same way to the press several 
more papers which were equally approved. '* 

Benjamin Franklin was a strange office boy. 
Though he set much of the type and then ran the 
sheets oif on the hand press, and after printing 

47 



The Story of Young 

the newspapers he went through the streets 
loaded with great bundles, delivering them to 
the customers, he could not content himself 
without writing *' pieces" which he himself 
would have to put in type and run off on the 
press. 

These contributions of a sixteen-year-old 
* Sprinter's devil" would be interesting reading 
to-day. It is believed that the first ''piece" was 
against the pretensions of certain Harvard stu- 
dents and graduates. Even at that early age 
Benjamin Franklin could see the foolishness of 
assuming that college graduates were the only 
educated men. No doubt there was a little un- 
conscious envy in the thoughts of the youth who 
was so hungry for learning yet was too poor to 
go to college. Later in life, Benjamin Franklin 
learned to think differently about college advan- 
tages, and became one of the founders of one of 
the greatest institutions of learning in America 
— the University of Pennsylvania — and though 
he had been denied college privileges, he re- 
ceived the highest degrees and honors from col- 
leges and universities in America and Europe. 

The name Benjamin signed to these pieces 
was ' ' Silence Dogood. ' ' The following acknowl- 

48 



Benjamin Franklin 

edgment, which appeared in the ''Courant,'' evi- 
dently written by his brother, must have made 
him chuckle over his secret : 

"As the favour of Mrs. Dogood^s 
Correspondence is acknowledged by the 
Publisher of this Paper, lest any of her 
letters should miscarry, he desires they 
may be deliver 'd at his Printing-Office, 
or at the Blue Balls in Union street, 
and no questions will be ask'd of the 
Bearer." 

**The Blue Balls" was the sign before the door 
of Josiah Franklin's soap and candle shop. 
"Mrs. Dogood" replied that "she" 

"intends once a Fortnight to present 
them, by the Help of this Paper, with a 
short Epistle, which I presume will add 
somewhat to their Entertainment." 

Ben was as good as his word, for he wrote 
fourteen letters as the "Widow Dogood," dis- 
cussing, in a free and gossipy way, college edu- 
cation, the training of women, widows, hypo- 
crites, match-making, religion, pride, drinking, 
and other things a lad of sixteen ought not to 
know much about. In his "Autobiography" he 
wrote: 

49 

4 — Franklin. 



The Story; of Young 

"I kept my secret till my small fund of sense 
for such performances was pretty well ex- 
hausted, and I then discovered (revealed) it, 
when I began to be considered a little more by 
my brother's acquaintance, and in a manner that 
did not quite please him, as he thought, prob- 
ably with reason, that it tended to make me too 
vain. 

"And perhaps this might be one occasion of 
the differences we began to have about this time. 
Though a brother, he considered himself as my 
master, and me as his apprentice, and accord- 
ingly expected the same services from me as he 
would from another, while I thought he de- 
meaned me too much in some he required of me 
who, from a brother, expected more indulgence. 
Our disputes were often brought before our 
father, and I fancy I was generally in the right, 
or else a better pleader, because the judgment 
was generally in my favor." 

James Franklin, a naturally suspicious, harsh- 
tempered young man, was now jealous of his 
half-brother ten years younger than himself. 
When Ben did the least wrong James treated 
him with the three-fold severity of an older 
brother, a hard master, and almost like Ben's 

50 



Benjamin Franklin 

owner, as if the boy were a slave. Often he was 
cruel and unreasonable and beat the boy when 
he did not deserve it, which Franklin wrote, long 
afterward, he ^'took extremely amiss," and be- 
gan to look about for some way to break the con- 
tract which bound the lad until he was twenty- 
one. 

An unexpected opportunity came to the 
youth's relief. In the "New England Courant" 
appeared, one day, a paragraph which would not 
occasion any comment in these days of so-called 
''liberty of the press," but it aroused the right- 
eous wrath of the authorities, because a mere 
man had taken upon himself to criticize their 
course. It reads like a mere pious reflection on 
the engaging of Indians in a war against 
Canada : 

*'If Almighty God will have Canada subdued 
without the assistance of those miserable Sav- 
ages, in whom we have too much confidence, we 
shall be glad that there will be no sacrifices of- 
fered up to the Devil upon the occasion, God 
alone will have the glory." 

The Great and General Court was so moved 
with indignation that on that very day this order 
was issued : 

51 



The Story of Young 

"In Council, Jan. 14, 1722. 

''Whereas, the paper called the New England 
Courant, of this day's date, contains many pas- 
sages in which the Holy Scriptures are per- 
verted, and the Civil Government, Ministers 
and People of this Providence highly reflected 
on. 

''Ordered, That William Tailer, Samuel Se- 
vv^ell, and Penn Townsend, Esqrs., with such of 
the Honourable House of Representatives shall 
join, be a committee to consider and report 
what is proper for the Court to do thereon. '^ 

James Franklin was promptly arrested, taken 
before the Council and severely censured, then 
ordered confined ''in the stone jail" for a month, 
for libeling his superiors. Young Ben was also 
arrested and questioned, but that young person 
was too shrewd to let them trip him into say- 
ing anything against his overbearing brother, 
or to the damage of the business. Although 
they knew he was a bright lad and capable of 
writing skits and poking fun at those in au- 
thority, they knew also that, as an apprentice, 
he was bound by law not to betray his master's 
secrets, So, after a sharp warning, they let 
him cfo. 

52 



Benjamin Franklin 

While it seems absurd to imprison a man for 
such a harmless reflection as that about hiring 
Indians to fight, it was only a short time before 
this, since Benjamin's apprenticeship began, 
that John Mathews, a harmless youth of nine- 
teen, who thought it would be a clever thing to 
write a pamphlet and have it printed, in favor 
of the right of the royal house of Stuart to re- 
turn to the throne of England. He did this and 
was beheaded at Tyburn, the place of execution 
in London. 

And some time before this a printer, named 
John Gwyn, set up and printed a sort of circular 
brought him by another, in which was this state- 
ment: '^If magistrates pervert judgment, the 
people are bound by the law of God to execute 
judgment without them, and upon them." 

The poor printer told the judge that he meant 
no harm. The offensive words were not his. He 
had printed them for some one else, as he was a 
poor man with a wife and children to feed. That 
terrible ^'justice," named Hyde, just to please 
the king, as he thought, ordered poor Gwyn 
dragged to the place of execution on a hurdle; 
hanged by the neck till he was almost strangled, 
then cut down and cut up in pieces, while still 

53 



The Story of Young 

alive, then, after tortures too cruel and horrible 
to print, killed by having his head cut off. His 
head, arms and legs were then disposed of "at 
the pleasure of the king's majesty!" 

During his brother's imprisonment, Ben, in 
spite of these warnings, *'made bold to give the 
rulers some rubs," in the paper. This, he said, 
gave his imprisoned brother a good deal of sat- 
isfaction. Here is a "rub" which showed that 
the boy already had some skill in dealing with 
the sort of sarcasm which could not be answered 
so easily as James's Scriptural criticisms. 
Pirates had been sighted off Block Island, and 
the authorities were so slow in following them 
that Ben indulged in this quiet drive at such a 
cowardly delay, in a letter purporting to have 
been sent to the "Courant" from Newport: 

"We are advised from Boston that the gov- 
ernment of Massachusetts are fitting out a ship 
to go after the pirates, to be commanded by 
Peter Papillon, and His tliouglit he tvill sail some 
time this month, tvind and weather permitting." 

While James was in prison, the colonial House 
of Representatives, agreeing with the Council, 
adopted the following report of the committee 
which had been appointed to decide what should 

54 



Benjamin Franklin 

be done with the too sensational "Courant." 
^'That James Franklin, the printer and pub- 
lisher thereof, be strictly forbidden by this 
Court to print or publish the 'New England 
Courantj ' or any other pamphlet or paper of the 
like nature, except it be first supervised by the 
Secretary of this Province; and the Justices of 
his Majesty's Sessions of the Peace for the 
County of Suffolk, at their next adjournment, 
be directed to take sufficient bonds of the said 
Franklin for twelve months' time." 

It was plucky work for a boy of sixteen to 
edit and publish a newspaper, and make such a 
sturdy fight for the liberty of the press in 
America. He was loyal to the brother who had 
abused him and treated him meanly. 

That month in jail was enough for Brother 
James. He knew that men had suffered worse 
things than imprisonment for printing state- 
ments against those in authority. Editors and 
publishers had had their ears slitted like cattle's, 
or had been whipped through the streets — not 
because the things they had published were un- 
true, but because the rulers had the power to 
make the editors suffer for "speaking evil of 
magistrates. ' ' Franklin himself wrote that such 

55 



The Story of Young 

unfair treatment as this had developed within 
him a keen hatred of unjust authority as that 
of England came to be — against the American 
colonies. 

When they voted that the *'New England 
Courant" should be published no longer by 
James Franklin, the members of the House 
thought they had put a stop to that trouble- 
some paper. Franklin himself tells what hap- 
pened : 

''There was a consultation held in our print- 
ing house among his (James Franklin's) 
friends, what he should do in this case. Some 
proposed to evade the order by changing the 
name of the paper; but my brother, seeing in- 
convenience in that, it was finally concluded on 
as a better way, to let it be printed for the fu- 
ture under the name of Benjamin Franklin; 
and to avoid the censure of the Assembly, that 
might fall on him as still printing it by his ap- 
prentice, the contrivance was that my old inden- 
ture should be returned to me, with a full dis- 
charge on the back of it, to be shown on occasion, 
but to secure to him the benefit of my services, I 
was to sign new indentures for the remainder of 
the term, which were to be kept private. A very 

56 



Benjamin Franklin 

flimsy scheme it was; however, it was immedi- 
ately executed, and the paper went on accord- 
ingly, under my name for several months. 

**At length, a fresh difference arising between 
my brother and me, I took upon me to assert my 
freedom, presuming that he would not venture 
to produce the new indentures. It was not fair 
in me to take this advantage, and this I there- 
fore reckon one of the first errata (mistakes) of 
my life; but the unfairness of it weighed little 
with me, when under the impressions of resent- 
ment for the blows his passion too often urged 
him to bestow upon me, though he was otherwise 
not an ill-natured man ; perhaps I was too saucy 
and provoking/' 



CHAPTER V 



Running Away from Home 



James Franklin complained of his brother to 
their father, who did not take Benjamin's part 
this time, because the younger son, though he 

57 



The Story of Young 

had good grounds for complaint, was clearly in 
the wrong. The brothers had had their last open 
quarrel. Ben declared he would not work for 
his brother any longer, so James, to prevent his 
finding employment anywhere else in Boston, 
went round calling on all the other printers and 
warning them against hiring his runaway ap- 
prentice. There was nothing for Ben to do but 
go back to his brother and ''eat humble pie," or 
run away to New York, the nearest place where 
there were printers with whom he might find 
work. 

James Franklin now thought he had fixed it 
so Ben would have to work for him four years 
longer, for the youth was now seventeen. If 
Benjamin had left Boston publicly, his father, 
brother or an officer of the law could have pre- 
vented it. Runaway apprentices were arrested 
and returned, like runaway slaves, to their mas- 
ters. Ben knew this only too well, for the news- 
papers of that day contained many notices of 
apprentices who had broken their bonds and de- 
serted their employers. 

Here is an advertisement Benjamin's father 
had inserted in the "Couranf within a few 
months, concerning an apprentice who had run 

58 



Benjamin Franklin 

away from the evil-smelling soap-and-candle 
business which Ben himself had disliked so 
much: 

^'Ran away from his Master, Mr. Josiah 
Franklin, of Boston, Tallow-Chandler, on the 
first of this instant July, an Irish Man-servant, 
named William Tinsley about 20 Years of Age, 
of a middle Stature, black Hair, lately cut off, 
somewhat fresh-coloured Countenance, a large 
lower lip, of a mean Aspect, large Legs, and 
heavy in his Going. 

*'IIe had on, when he went away, a felt Hat, a 
white knit Cap, striped with red and blue, white 
Shirt, and neck-cloth, a brown coloured-Jacket, 
almost new, a frieze Coat, of a dark Colour, grey 
yarn Stockings, leather Breeches, trimmed with 
black, and round to'd Shoes. 

*' Whoever shall apprehend the said runaway 
Servant, and him safely convey to his above said 
Master, at the Blue Balls in Union street, Bos- 
ton, shall have forty Shillings Reward, and all 
necessary Charges paid." 

As this notice appeared three successive weeks 
in the "Courant," it is safe to infer that the 
apprentice '*of a mean aspect" was not "ap- 
prehended." 

59 



The Story of Young 

The lad thought it all over. He realized that, 
besides having the ill-will of his brother, he was 
in bad odor with the authorities because of the 
*'rubs'^ he had put into the ''Couranf during 
his brother's imprisonment, and afterward while 
that paper was published under his own name. 
He knew well enough that if he got into any 
trouble he could expect no consideration from 
*'the powers" in Boston. 

So he began to plan his escape. He sold some 
of his precious books to raise a little ready 
money. His friend Collins, the apprentice he 
had ** disputed" with about the education of 
womankind, helped him get away secretly. 
Franklin himself tells of this : 

'*He (Collins) agreed with the captain of a 
New York sloop for my passage. I was taken 
on board privately, and as we had a fair wind, 
in three days I found myself in New York, near 
three hundred miles from home, a boy of seven- 
teen, without the least recommendation to, or 
knowledge of, any person in the place, and with 
very little money in my pocket." 

Now was Ben's opportunity to run away to 
sea while he was about it. But he said that his 
"inclinations for the sea were by this time worn 

60 



Benjamin Franklin 

out," probably by the knowledge of his sailor 
brother's hardships and death. 

As soon as Brother James found that Ben had 
gone, he advertised in his newspaper for "a 
likely lad for an apprentice," not realizing what 
a very "likely lad" he had lost by his own over- 
bearing treatment of his brother. Although the 
old man of seventy, looking back upon the acts 
of a boy of seventeen, pronounced his running 
away the first great mistake of his life, it seems 
to have been overruled for the best. 

At this time Boston, with a population of ten 
thousand, was the largest city in America, Phila- 
delphia, with about eight thousand, second, and 
New York, third. There was only one printer in 
New York, an old man named William Brad- 
ford, who had come over from Philadelphia, 
where he had quarreled with Keith, the Gov- 
ernor of Pennsylvania. He had no place for 
young Franklin, but said, to comfort the dis- 
appointed youth "My son at Philadelphia has 
lately lost his principal hand. He may employ 
you." 

So, with a sinking heart, young Franklin de- 
cided to go on to Philadelphia. Franklin de- 
scribes his departure from New York : 

61 



The Story of Young 

"Philadelphia was a hundred miles further; 
I set out, however, in a boat for Amboy, leaving 
my chest and things to follow me round by sea 
(coming up the Delaware to Philadelphia). 

'^In crossing the bay (to Amboy) we met with 
a squall that tore our rotten sail to pieces, pre- 
vented our getting into the Kill (river or inlet) 
and drove us up on Long Island. On our way, a 
drunken Dutchman, who was a passenger, too, 
fell overboard; when he was sinking I reached 
through the water to his shock pate and drew 
him up, so that we got him again. His ducking 
sobered him a little, and he went to sleep, taking 
first out of his pocket a book which he desired I 
would dry for him. It proved to be my old fa- 
vorite author, Bunyan's "Pilgrim's Progress," 
in Dutch, finely printed on good paper, with 
copper cuts, a dress better than I had ever seen 
it wear in its own language. I have since found 
that it has been translated into most of the lan- 
guages of Europe, and suppose it has been more 
generally read than any other book, except per- 
haps the Bible." 

Dr. Franklin, when he wrote of this adventure 
of his 3^outh, had written "Poor Richard's Al- 
manac," which hung in thousands of American 

62 



Benjamin Franklin 

homes alongside of the Bible and '^The Pil- 
grim's Progress." The proverbs of "Poor 
Richard" were already as familiar as those of 
Solomon. He does not hint at this, though he 
must have known it. Franklin's modesty and 
simplicity add a special charm to his writings. 
He goes on with his account of his journey to 
Philadelphia, which for simple and vivid lan- 
guage reminds the reader of St. Luke's descrip- 
tion of the shipwreck of St. Paul, in "The Acts 
of the Apostles : ' ' 

"When we drew near the island, we found it 
was at a place where there could be no landing, 
there being a great surf on the stony beach. So 
we dropt anchor, and swung round toward the 
shore. Some people came down to the water's 
edge and hallooed to us, as we did to them ; but 
the wind was so high and the surf so loud that 
we could not hear so as to understand each 
other. 

"There were canoes on the shore, and we made 
signs and hallooed that they should fetch us 
(ashore) ; but they either did not understand us 
or thought it impracticable, so they went away, 
and night coming on, we had no remedy but to 
wait till the wind should abate ; and, in the mean- 

63 



The Story of Young 

time, the boatman and I concluded to sleep if 
we could; and so (we) crow^ded into the scuttle 
(hold) with the Dutchman, who was still wet, 
and the spray, beating over the head of our boat, 
leaked through to us, so that we were soon al- 
most as wet as he. In this manner we lay all 
night, with very little rest ; but the wind abating 
the next day, we made shift to reach Amboy be- 
fore night, having been thirty hours on the 
water, without victuals or any drink but a bottle 
of filthy rum, the water we sailed on being 
salt. 

*'In the evening (after landing) I found my- 
self very feverish, and went in to bed ; but, hav- 
ing read somewhere that cold water drank 
plentifully was good for a fever, I followed the 
prescription, sweat plentifully most of the night, 
my fever left me, and in the morning, crossing 
the ferry, I proceeded on my journey on foot, 
having fifty miles to Burlington, where I was 
told I should find boats that would carry me the 
rest of the way to Philadelphia.^' 

Amboy was located at the mouth of the Rari- 
tan, on the coast of New Jersey, called, in 
Franklin's day, **the Jerseys'' (East and West 
Jersey). The fever-sick runaway took the ferry 

64 



Benjamin Franklin 

across from Amboy to Brunswick, and started 
out in a southwesterly direction (walking past 
the place where Washington was to cross the 
Delaware, over fifty years later) and striding 
through Trenton and Bordentown, to Burling- 
ton, New Jersey, a little village beside the wide 
Delaware River. 

It was a long walk through the mud and pour- 
ing rain. As he splashed along the coimtry 
roads, drenched to the skin, the half-sick young 
fellow had plenty of time to think of the com- 
fortable home he had left behind, and of his 
apprentice friends in Boston. What if he 
should fail to find work in Philadelphia? 
What if he should be arrested? Such things 
often happened. If he did not find employ- 
ment in Philadelphia there were no other 
cities in America large enough to support a 
printing house. What could he do? He 
wished he had learned one of the other trades 
his good father had taken him to see. There 
were bricklayers and cutlers in almost every 
place. Could he bear to face his brother, his 
father, and the Boston acquaintances again? 
He had but little money. If he should have 
to go back home, it must be on foot, like 

65 

5 — Franklin. 



The Story of Young 

the returning Prodigal. He would have to 
say, ** Father, I have sinned,'' and his brother 
would be even more cruel and unkind than the 
cold-hearted elder brother in the parable. 

Young Franklin's thoughts were not pleas- 
ant company as he trudged along in the rain that 
day. It is no wonder that he remembered it all 
so vividly that he wrote, nearly fifty years after- 
ward: 

*^It rained hard all the day; I was thoroughly 
soaked, and by noon a good deal tired, so I stopt 
at a poor inn, where I stayed all night, begin- 
ning now to wish that I had never left home. I 
cut so miserable a figure, too, that I found, by 
the questions asked me (that) I was suspected 
to be some runaway servant, and in danger of 
being taken up on that suspicion. However, I 
proceeded the next day, and got in the evening to 
an inn, within eight or ten miles of Burlington, 
kept by one Dr. Brown. 

"He entered into conversation with me while 
I took some refreshment, and finding I had read 
a little, became very sociable. Our acquaintance 
continued as long as he lived." 

Young Franklin was a strange mixture — a 
printer's apprentice who had "read a little" of 

66 




we; landed at the market street wharf. 



Benjamin Franklin 

philosophy, poetry, the Bible, "The Pilgrim's 
Progress, ' ' and so on. Instead of being arrested 
as a runaway servant, he was hospitably enter- 
tained and formed a life-long friendship with a 
learned physician who was something of a 
writer, like Dr. Oliver Goldsmith, Dr. Oliver 
Wendell Holmes, or Dr. Weir Mitchell. 

He stayed at Dr. Brown's tavern that night, 
and walked on eight or ten miles to Burlington 
the next morning. It was Saturday, and he 
found to his great disappointment that the boat 
for Philadelphia had gone, and he would now 
have to wait till the following Tuesday — three 
days ! He was tired of walking, and the drench- 
ings he had suffered did not hasten his recovery 
from fever. He stood on the bank of the Dela- 
ware and wondered what to do next. He de- 
cided to go back and ask the advice of the woman 
who had sold him some gingerbread to eat on 
the boat. She invited him to stay at her house 
until the next boat day. This was nearly one 
hundred years before Robert Fulton invented 
the steamboat, so all the boats and ships in 
Franklin's time were propelled by means of 
sails. He accepted the woman's kind offer, and 
she tried to persuade him to remain in Burling- 

67 



The Story of Young 

ton and go into business there. But Franklin 
himself explains why he did not stay : 

*' However, w^alking in the evening by the side 
of the river, a boat came by, which I found was 
going toward Philadelphia, with several people 
in her. They took me in, and, as there was no 
wind, we rowed all the way ; and about midnight, 
not having yet seen the city, some of the com- 
pany were confident we must have passed it, and 
would row no further; the others knew not 
where we were ; so we put toward the shore, got 
into a creek, landed near a fence, with the rails 
of which we made a fire, the night being cold, in 
^ October, and there we remained till daylight. 

*'Then one of the company knew the place to 
be Cooper's Creek, a little above Philadelphia, 
which we saw as soon as we got out of the creek, 
and arrived there about eight or nine o'clock on 
the Sunday morning, and landed at the Market 
Street wharf." 



68 



Benjamin Franklin 



CHAPTER VI 



Finding Friends in Philadelphia 



On Sunday morning, the 10th of October, 
1723, Benjamin Franklin arrived in Philadel- 
phia for the first time. It certainly did not seem 
to be an important event to those who were with 
him. They saw only a pale, tired, sleepy youth 
in rain-soaked clothing. He describes his own 
appearance : 

*^I was in my working dress, my best clothes 
being to come round by sea. I was dirty from 
my journey; my pockets were stuffed out with 
shirts and stockings, and I knew no soul nor 
where to look for lodging. I was fatigued with 
traveling, rowing, and want of rest. I was very 
hungry ; and my whole stock of cash consisted of 
a Dutch dollar and about a shilling in copper. 
The latter I gave the people of the boat for my 
passage, who at first refused it on account of my 
rowing, but I insisted on their taking it. A man 

69 



^ 
^f^ 



The Story of Young 

being sometimes more generous when he has a 
little money than when he has plenty; perhaps 
through fear of being thought to have but little.'' 
With only the silver dollar left, young Frank- 
lin started off up street to find something to eat. 
Gazing about, he came to what was evidently 
the market house, when he met a boy with some 
bread. Ben asked the lad where to buy bread 
and was directed to a baker's on Second Street. 
Hurrying to the place he asked for biscuit, or 
big crackers, such as were made in Boston. The 
baker did not understand, for Boston biscuits 
were not made in Philadelphia. Then the lad 
asked for a three-penny loaf and they said they 
had no three-penny loaves. At last Benjamin 
threw down the Dutch dollar and ordered 
^Hhree-penny worth of any sort." The baker 
gave him *' three great puffy rolls," and a large 
quantity of change in silver and copper coins. 
The Boston boy was astonished at the quantity 
of bread. As his capacious pockets were already 
*' stuffed out with shirts and stockings," he took 
a roll under each arm, and walked along the 
streets gnawing and munching the third loaf ; he 
knew of no place where he could sit and eat it in 
a respectable manner. Referring to this Frank- 

70 



Benjamin Franklin 

lin wrote that he ''made a most awkward, ridicu- 
lous appearance." 

This was to Ben Franklin a memorable inci- 
dent, for as he walked along devouring his Sun- 
day breakfast in the street, he saw a young girl 
about his own age standing in the doorway of 
her father's house laughing at him. That girl 
was his future wife. 

After this absurd meeting with the young 
woman he was to marry, Ben Franklin ''turned 
and went down Chestnut Street and part of Wal- 
nut Street," he said, "eating my roll all the way, 
and coming round, found myself again at Mar- 
ket Street wharf, near the boat I came in, to 
which I went for a draught of river water ; and 
being filled with one of my rolls, gave the 
other two to a woman and her child that came 
down the river in the boat with us, and were 
waiting to go farther. 

"Thus refreshed, I walked again up the 
street, which by this time had many clean- 
dressed people in it, who were all walking the 
same way. I joined them, and thereby was led 
into the great meeting-house of the Quakers 
near the market. I sat down among them, and 
after looking roimd a while and hearing nothing 

71 



The Story of Young 

said, and being drowsy through labor and want 
of rest the preceding night, I fell fast asleep and 
continued so till the meeting broke up, when one 
was kind enough to rouse me. This was, there- 
fore, the first house I was in, or slept in, in Phil- 
adelphia." 

It was evidently a ^'silent meeting," which the 
Friends often have, for no one was expected to 
speak unless moved by the Spirit. After the 
sleepy youth had stumbled out of the meeting- 
house, he walked down toward the river. On 
the way he says: "I met a young Quaker whose 
countenance I liked, and accosting him, re- 
quested he would tell me where a stranger could 
get lodging. We were then near the sign of the 
^ Three Mariners.' 

^* *Here,' says he, 4s one place that entertains 
strangers, but it is not a reputable house ; if thee 
wilt walk with me, I'll show thee a better.' 

**He brought me to the * Crooked Billet' in 
Water Street. Here I got a dinner, and while I 
was eating it, several sly questions were asked 
me, as it seemed to be suspected, from my youth 
and appearance, that I might be some runaway. 

^' After dinner my sleepiness returned, and be- 
ing shown to a bed, I lay down without undress- 

72 



Benjamin Franklin 

ing, and slept till six in the evening, was called 
to supper, went to bed very early and slept 
soundly till next morning. Then I made myself 
as tidy as I could, and went to Andrew Brad- 
ford the printer. 

"I found in the shop the old man his father, 
whom I had seen at New York, and who, travel- 
ing on horseback, had got to Philadelphia before 
me. He introduced me to his son, who received 
me civilly, gave me a breakfast, but told me he 
did not at present want a hand, being lately sup- 
plied with one ; but there was another printer in 
town, lately set up, one Keimer, who perhaps 
might employ me ; if not, I should be welcome to 
lodge at his house, and he would give me a little 
work now and then till fuller business should 
offer. 

**The old gentleman said he would go with 
me to the new printer ; and when we found him, 
^Neighbor,' says Bradford, *I have brought to 
see you a young man of your business ; perhaps 
you may want such a one.' '' 

Keimer was a queer character with whom 
Benjamin Franklin afterward had much to do. 
He asked the young stranger a few questions, 
set him to work, and, being satisfied that the 

73 



The Story of Young 

youth was a good printer, promised him employ- 
ment soon. This must have lifted a heavy load 
from the heart of the runaway, for it meant that 
he need not return to his ugly elder brother and 
be ashamed in the sight of his family and friends 
in Boston. 

It is a pleasant picture — that of the estab- 
lished printer's father taking the young appli- 
cant straight to his son's new rival to find work 
for the stranger. But Keimer did not know that 
the old man was himself a New York printer and 
especially interested in the business of his chief 
competitor in Philadelphia. The old gentleman 
slyly asked the new printer questions about his 
prospects and plans, which Keimer answered 
without reserve, telling that he expected to get 
the greater part of the printing business of Phil- 
adelphia into his own hands, and so on. The 
shrewd Yankee lad looked on in astonishment, 
and afterward said of it: ^*I, who stood by and 
heard all, saw immediately that one of them was 
a crafty old sophister, and the other a mere 
novice. Bradford left me with Keimer, who was 
greatly surprised when I told him who the old 
man was." 

The printer who had recently died was a well- 

74 



Benjamin Franklin 

known citizen of Philadelphia, named Aquila 
Rose, who had been clerk of the Pennsylvania 
Assembly, and something of a poet. Keimer 
thought himself gifted in this respect, and, when 
Benjamin Franklin first came, the old printer 
was composing a poem in his mind while *' com- 
posing" it in type. This he entitled *'An Elegy 
on Aquila Rose." Here is Franklin's descrip- 
tion of his jfirst situation : 

^' Keimer 's printing house, I found, consisted 
of an old shattered press, and one small, worn- 
out font of English, which he was then using 
himself. Keimer made verses, but very indiffer- 
ently. He could not be said to write them, for 
his manner was to compose them in the types 
directly out of his head. So there being no copy 
(writing to set type from) and the Elegy likely 
to require all the letter (font of type), no one 
could help him. 

^'I endeavored to put his press (which he had 
not yet used, and of which he understood noth- 
ing) into order fit to be worked with ; and prom- 
ising to come and print off his Elegy as soon as 
he should have got it ready, I returned to Brad- 
ford's, who gave me a little job to do for the 
present; and there I lodged and dieted 

75 



Tlie Story of Young 

(boarded). A few days after, Keimer sent for 
me to print off the Elegy. And now he had got 
another pair of cases, and a pamphlet to reprint, 
on which he set me to work. 

"These two printers I found poorly qualified 
for their business. Bradford had not been bred 
to it, and was very illiterate; and Keimer, 
though something of a scholar, was a mere com- 
positor, knowing nothing of presswork. At this 
time he did not profess any particular religion 
but something of all on occasions; was very 
ignorant of the world, and had, as I afterward 
found, a good deal of the knave in his composi- 
tion. He did not like my lodging at Bradford's 
while I worked with him. He had a house, in- 
deed, but without furniture; so he could not 
lodge me, but he got me a lodging at Mr. Read's, 
who was the owner of his house ; and my chest 
and clothes being come by this time, I made 
rather a more respectable appearance in the eyes 
of Miss Read than I had done when she first 
happened to see me eating my roll in the street." 

When young Franklin had steady employ- 
ment and a pleasant boarding place he began to 
feel at home in Philadelphia. He made ac- 
quaintances easily. Men and women, old and 

76 



Benjamin Franklin 

young, seemed to take an interest in him. He 
was good-natured, frank and generous, and had 
a keen sense of humor, which goes a long way 
toward making friends in a strange place. He 
chose the right kind of associates, *' among the 
young people of the town, that were lovers of 
reading,'' he wi'ote, ^*with whom I spent my 
evenings very pleasantly; and gaining money 
by my industry and frugality, I lived very agree- 
ably, forgetting Boston as much as I could, and 
not desiring that any there should know where I 
resided, except my friend Collins, who was in my 
secret and kept it when I wrote to him." 

But Benjamin Franklin never lost his love for 
the home of his boyhood. He was an affection- 
ate youth, and while he felt resentment against 
his brother James, he longed for his home with 
its large family of brothers and sisters. It was 
not because he lacked feeling toward his father 
and mother, but because he feared that his 
brother, in his wrath, might have him arrested, 
even in Philadelphia, and brought back to Bos- 
ton in disgrace. 

One of Benjamin's older sisters had been mar- 
ried to a shipmaster named Robert Holmes. 
This brother-iii-law's sloop carried on a thriv- 

77 



The Story of Young 

ing coast trade between Boston and the Dela- 
ware. While on one of these cruises, stopping at 
Newcastle, Delaware, forty miles from Philadel- 
phia, Captain Holmes heard that his young 
brother-in-law was in Philadelphia. He at once 
wrote Ben a brotherly letter, telling him how 
anxious his parents and friends were after his 
sudden disappearance. He assured the lad that 
they were all friendly to him, and, if he would 
return to Boston all would be forgiven, and 
everything would be arranged to suit him, which 
meant that he need not work for his brother 
again, as an apprentice, unless he chose to do so. 

Ben wrote Robert HoLnes a full letter, giving 
his reasons for leaving Boston so abruptly, put- 
ting the matter, as Franklin wrote, "in such a 
light as to convince him that I was not so wrong 
as he had apprehended." 

It so happened that when Captain Holmes re- 
ceived this letter from his runaway brother-in- 
law he was in company with Sir William Keith, 
then Governor of Pennsylvania and *Hhe Dela- 
ware Counties." Holmes showed his young 
brother ^s letter to the Governor, who was sur- 
prised that a boy of seventeen could write a let- 
ter so cleverly worded and so correctly spelled 

78 



Benjamin Franklin 

and punctuated. Sir William said that such a 
promising young man ought to be encouraged, 
and as the two printers then in Philadelphia 
were either ignorant or incapable, he would like 
to set young Franklin up in business there. He, 
as Governor of the Province, could give him the 
official printing to do, and use his influence to 
help him in many ways. Of this Franklin 
wrote : 

"This my brother-in-law afterwards told me 
in Boston, but I knew as yet nothing of it ; when, 
one day, Keimer and I being at work together 
near the window, we saw the Governor and an- 
other gentleman (who proved to be Colonel 
French, of Newcastle), finely dressed, come di- 
rectly across the street to our house, and heard 
them at the door. 

"Keimer ran down immediately, thinking it a 
visit to him; but the Governor inquired for me, 
came up, and with a condescension and polite- 
ness I had been quite unused to, made me many 
compliments, desired to be acquainted with me, 
blamed me kindly for not having made myself 
known to him when I first came to the place, and 
would have me away with him to the tavern, 
where he was going with Colonel French. 

79 



The Story of Young 

^'I was not a little surprised, and Keimer 
stared like a pig poisoned. I went, however, 
with the Governor and Colonel French to a tav- 
ern at the corner of Third Street, and he pro- 
posed my setting up my business, laid before me 
the possibilities of success, and both he and 
Colonel French assured me I should have their 
interest and inliuence in procuring the public 
business of both governments (of Pennsylvania 
and Delaware). 

''On my doubting whether my father would 
assist me in it, Sir William said he would give 
me a letter to him, in which he would state the 
advantages, and he did not doubt of prevailing 
with him. 

**So it was concluded I should return to Bos- 
ton in the first vessel, with the Governor's letter 
recommending me to my father. In the mean- 
time the intention was to be kept a secret, and I 
went on working with Keimer as usual, the Gov- 
ernor sending for me now and then to dine with 
him — a very great honor I thought it 1 — and con- 
versing with me in the most affable, familiar, 
and friendl^v manner imaginable." 

Keimer had strange religious notions, one of 
which was that it was wrong to cut off the beard. 

80 



Benjamin Franklin 

Another belief that Saturday, not Sunday, 
should be observed as the Sabbath. Young 
Franklin not having to work on Saturday or 
Sunday, spent two days a week in reading, and 
he made good use of his opportunities. 

For some time the young printer, himself a 
vegetarian, induced his employer to give up 
eating meat; but Keimer began to sigh for the 
^*flesh pots of Egypt," and soon fell back to eat- 
ing meat in large quantities, for he was a greedy 
old man. 



CHAPTER VII 



The Return of the Runaway 



"About the end of April, 1724," wrote Frank- 
lin, "a little vessel offered for Boston. I took 
leave of Keimer as going to see my friends. The 
Governor gave me an ample letter, saying many 
flattering things of me to my father, and 
strongly recommending the project of my set- 
ting up at Philadelphia as a thing that must 
make my fortune. 

81 



6 — Franklin. 



The Story of Young 

**We struck a shoal going down the bay, and 
sprung a leak; we had a blustering time at sea, 
and were obliged to pump almost continually, at 
which I took my turn. We arrived safe, how- 
ever, at Boston in about a fortnight. '^ 

When young Franklin appeared again in 
Boston, after an absence of seven months, it was 
almost as if he had risen from the dead. As his 
brother-in-law had not yet returned, and had not 
written to the family, they were all surprised to 
see him. He tells of his visit to his brother : 

^*I went to see him at his printing house. I 
was better dressed than ever while in his service, 
having a genteel new suit from head to foot, a 
watch, and my pockets lined with near five 
pounds sterling in silver. He received me not 
very frankly, looked me all over, and turned to 
his work again. 

**The journeymen printers were inquisitive 
where I had been, what sort of a country it was, 
and how I liked it. I praised it much, and the 
happy life I led in it, expressing strongly my in- 
tention of returning to it ; and, one of them ask- 
ing what kind of money we had there, I pro- 
duced a handful of silver, and spread it before 
them, which was a kind of raree-show they had 

82 



Benjamin Franldin 

not been used to, paper being the money of 
Boston. 

"Then I took an opportunity of letting them 
see my watch; and lastly (my brother still grum 
and sullen), I took my leave. This visit of mine 
offended him extremely; for, when my mother 
some time after, spoke of a reconciliation, and 
of her wishes to see us on good terms together, 
and that we might live for the future as brothers, 
he said I had insulted him in such a manner be- 
fore his people that he could never forget or 
forgive it. In this, however, he was mis- 
taken." 

James Franklin did not realize that it is not 
those who have wronged us that are hardest to 
forgive, but those whom we have wronged, whose 
very presence is a reproach. He felt insulted 
because his young brother called on him in a 
friendly spirit, instead of seeking revenge. Be- 
sides, Ben showed that he was capable of earn- 
ing much more money than his "keep'' and 
clothing without being beaten and abused. But 
the younger brother recognized James's unfor- 
tunate disposition and freely forgave him for 
his unkind treatment, helping him in time of 
need, later educating James's son and setting 

83 



The Story of Young 

him up in the printing business, like the kind, 
indulgent uncle he was. 

Young Collins was greatly pleased with the 
success of the friend he had aided to escape and, 
charmed with Ben's glowing accounts of his ex- 
periences in the *'new country,'' determined to 
throw up his position in the Boston post office 
and try his fortunes in Pennsylvania. Indeed, 
he became impatient because Ben had to wait for 
his father to make up his mind about setting 
him up in business under the patronage of such 
a man as Governor Keith seemed to be, so Col- 
lins set off ahead, leaving his books, *' which were 
a pretty collection of mathematicks and natural 
philosophy," for Ben to bring with his own 
books to New York, where the former postal 
clerk proposed to wait for him. 

About the matter which had brought him back 
to Boston, Franklin wrote : 

*'My father received the Governor's letter 
with some apparent surprise, but said little of it 
to me for some days, when. Captain Holmes, re- 
turning, he showed it to him, asked him if he 
knew Keith, and what kind of man he was ; add- 
ing his opinion that he must be of small discre- 
tion to think of setting a boy up in business who 

84 



Benjamin Franklin 

wanted yet three years of being at man's estate. 

*' Holmes said what he could in favor of the 
project, but my father was clear in the impro- 
priety of it, and at last gave a flat denial to it. 
Then he wrote a civil letter to Sir William, 
thanking him for the patronage he had so kindly 
offered me, but declining to assist me as yet in 
setting up, I being, in his opinion, too young to 
be trusted with the management of a business so 
important, and for which the preparation must 
be so expensive. 

''My father, though he did not approve of Sir 
William's proposition, was yet pleased that I 
had been able to obtain so advantageous a char- 
acter from a person of such note where I had 
resided, and that I had been so industrious and 
careful as to equip myself so handsomely in so 
short a time ; therefore, seeing no prospect of an 
accommodation between my brother and me, he 
gave his consent to my returning again to Phila- 
delphia, advised me to behave respectfully to 
the people there, endeavor to obtain the general 
esteem, and avoid lampooning and libeling, to 
which he thought I had too much inclination; 
telling me that by steady industry and prudent 
parsimony I might save enough by the time I 

85 



The Story of Young 

was one-and-twenty to set me up ; and that if I 
came near the matter (amount) he would help 
me out with the rest. 

"This was all I could obtain, except some 
small gifts as tokens of his and my mother's 
love, when I embarked again for New York, now 
with their approbation and their blessing. '^ 

Wise, level-headed Father Franklin! Great 
as was his pride in having a titled Governor be- 
come so enthusiastic over the abilities of his 
youngest son, he did not allow a father's vanity 
to trap him into any loss through indiscretion. 
It was his father's wisdom that made Franklin 
so shrewd and successful in giving "Poor Rich- 
ard's" advice, full of thrifty conmion sense to all 
the English-speaking world. 

If Ben thought his father a "slow-coach,'* or 
perhaps jealous of his son's success, as James 
Franklin seemed to be of his young half- 
brother's, he had occasion to learn, within a few 
years that his father was in the right, as fathers 
are likely to be. Lads of Ben's age, when much 
praised by others, whether in school or in busi- 
ness, begin to think their parents behind the 
times, and imagine that they know more than 
parents or teachers, only to learn to say, as 

86 



Benjamin Franklin 

Benjamin Franklin did, after years of trial and 
sorrow, "Father was right. '^ 

The young printer may have had this experi- 
ence in mind when he put in his "Almanack:" 
"A good kick out of doors is worth all the rich 
uncles in the world." 

Before Benjamin went back to Philadelphia 
he called on Dr. Cotton Mather, the famous min- 
ister, whose book, "Essays to Do Good," had 
made a strong impression on his boyish mind. 
The old preacher received the youth in his 
library and they had a friendly chat together. 

When young Franklin was leaving, Dr. 
Mather showed him out of his rambling old 
house by a shorter way. Still talking, they were 
groping through a dark passage when Dr. 
Mather suddenly called out, "Stoop! stoop!" 
but the young man hit his head against a low 
beam before he grasped the minister's meaning. 
Cotton Mather, who never missed a chance to 
teach a lesson, gave the lad this fatherly coun- 
sel: "You are young and have the world before 
you. Stoop as you go through it and you will 
miss many hard thumps." 

Instead of thinking the old minister a bore he 
followed the counsel, for all through lite Benja- 

87 



The Story of Young 

min Franklin knew how to ^* stoop to conquer." 
Long afterward he said of Cotton Mather's help- 
ful words, '^This advice, thus beat into my head, 
has frequently been of use to me, and I often 
think of it when I see pride mortified and mis- 
fortunes brought upon people by their carrying 
their heads too high." 

This time Benjamin left Boston in triumph, 
instead of stealing away, as before, in defeat and 
disgrace. Franklin relates his adventures in 
Newport and on his way to New York : 

^^The sloop putting in at Newport, Rhode 
Island, I visited my brother John, who had 
been married and settled there some years. He 
received me very affectionately, for he always 
loved me. A friend of his, one Vernon, having 
some money due him in Pennsjdvania, about 
thirty-five pounds currency, desired I would 
receive it for him, and keep it till I had his di- 
rections what to remit it in. Accordingly, he 
gave me an order. This afterwards occasioned 
me a good deal of uneasiness. 



88 



Benjamin FranMin 



CHAPTER VIII 



False Friends 



"At New York," wrote Franklin, **I found 
my friend Collins, who had arrived there some 
time before me. We had been intimate from 
children, and had read the same books together ; 
but he had the advantage of more time for read- 
ing and studying and a wonderful genius for 
mathematical learning, in which he far out- 
stripped me. 

*' While I lived in Boston most of my hours of 
leisure for conversation were spent with him, 
and he continued a sober as well as an industri- 
ous lad ; was much respected for his learning by 
several of the clergy and other gentlemen, and 
seemed to promise making a good figure in life. 

''But during my absence he had acquired a 
habit of sotting with brandy ; and I found by his 
own account, and what I heard from others, that 
he had been drunk every day since his arrival at 

89 



The Story of Young 

New York, and behaved very oddly. He had 
gamed (gambled), too, and lost his money so that 
I was obliged to discharge (pay for) his lodg- 
ings, and defray his expenses to and at Phila- 
delphia, which proved extremely inconvenient 
to me. 

^'The then Governor of New York, Burnet 
(son of Bishop Burnet), hearing from the cap- 
tain that a young man, one of his passengers, 
had a great many books, desired he, the captain, 
would bring me to see him. I waited upon him 
accordingly, and should have taken Collins with 
me but that he was not sober. 

^'The Governor treated me with great civility, 
showed me his library, which was a very large 
one, and we had a good deal of conversation 
about books and authors. This was the second 
Governor who had done me the honor to take no- 
tice of me ; which to a poor boy like me was very 
pleasing." 

Young Franklin, who could receive all these 
honors without * burning his head," was some- 
times imposed upon by his most intimate friends. 
Of his first experience in this line Franklin 
wrote : 

*'We proceeded to Philadelphia. I received 

9Q 



Benjamin Franklin 

on the way Vernon's money, without which we 
could hardly have finished our journey. Collins 
wished to be employed in some counting-house ; 
but whether they discovered his dramming 
(drinking) by his breath or by his behavior, tho' 
he had some recommendations, he met with no 
success in any application, and continued lodg- 
ing and boarding at the same house with me, and 
at my expense. Kjiowing I had that money of 
Vernon's he was continually borrowing of me, 
still promising repayment as soon as he should 
be in business. At length he had got so much of 
it that I was distressed to think what I should do 
in case of being called on to remit it. 

^'His drinking continued, about which we 
sometimes quarreled; for, when a little intoxi- 
cated, he was very fractious. 

"Once, in a boat on the Delaware with some 
other young men, he refused to row in his 
turn. 

" ^I will be rowed home,' says he. 

" *We will not row you,' says I. 

" *You must, or stay all night on the water,' 
says he, *just as you please.' 

^'The others said, 'Let us row; what signifies 

itr 

91 



The Story of Young 

**But, my mind being soured with his other 
conduct, I continued to refuse. So he swore he 
would make me row or throw me overboard ; and, 
coming along, stepping on the thwarts toward 
me when he came up and struck at me I clapped 
my hand under his thigh, and rising, pitched 
him head foremost into the river. 

**I knew he was a good swimmer, so was under 
little concern about him; but before he would 
get round to lay hold of the boat we had, with a 
few strokes, pulled her out of his reach ; and ever 
when he drew near the boat we asked if he would 
row, striking a few strokes to slide her away 
from him. He was ready to die with vexation, 
and obstinately would not promise to row. How- 
ever, seeing him at last beginning to tire, we 
lifted him in, and brought him home dripping 
wet in the evening. 

*^We hardly exchanged a civil word after- 
ward, and a West India captain who had a com- 
mission to procure a tutor for the sons of a 
gentleman at Barbados, happening to meet with 
him, agreed to carry him thither. He left me 
then, promising to remit me the first money he 
should receive, in order to discharge the debt; 
but I never heard of him after." 

92 




I PITCHED IIIM INTO THE RIVER. 



Benjamin Franklin 

Old Dr. Franklin, looking back upon his 
earlier days, saw that his father was right in not 
setting him up in business at eighteen, for, said 
he, *Hhe breaking into this money of Vernon *s 
was one of the first great errata (errors) of my 
life ; and this affair showed that my father was 
not much out in his judgment when he supposed 
me too young to manage business of import- 
ance/' 

Sir William Keith, when he read Josiah 
Franklin's reply to his letter, pooh-poohed and 
said it was ''too prudent." He flattered young 
Franklin by intimating that not all old men were 
discreet nor all young men indiscreet. ** Since 
your father will not set you up," he said to Ben- 
jamin, ''I will do it myself. Give me an inven- 
tory of the things necessary to be had from Eng- 
land and I will send for them. You shall repay 
me when you are able ; I am resolved to have a 
good printer here, and I am sure you must suc- 
ceed." 

Ben thought the Governor one of the best men 
in the world. In order to keep their intention of 
starting another printing office in Philadelphia 
a secret from Keimer, the youth did not mention 
his growing prospects to others, or he might 

93 



The Story of Young 

have been warned against placing too much faith 
in the Governor's promises. But no one ac- 
quainted with the Governor knew what was go- 
ing on, while Benjamin Franklin was happy in 
making up a list of the things he would need in 
setting up a first-class printing business. He 
found that it could be done for about five hun- 
dred dollars. 

"Now,'' said Sir William, "wouldn't it be bet- 
ter for you to go to England yourself and select 
the type and other necessaries on the spot?" 

Ben was easily convinced that it would be a 
wise thing to do, his heart throbbing with pleas- 
ure at the thought of going abroad on such busi- 
ness. 

"Then," continued Keith, "when there you 
can make acquaintances and establish corre- 
spondences in the bookselling and stationery 
way." 

"I agreed that this might be advantageous. 

" 'Then,' says he, 'get yourself ready to go 
with Annis/ which was the annual ship, and the 
only one usually passing between London and 
Philadelphia. But it would be some months be- 
fore Annis sailed, so I continued working with 
Keimer, fretting about the money Collins had 

94 



Benjamin Franklin 

got from me, and in daily apprehensions of be- 
ing called upon by Vernon, which, however, 
did not happen for some years after." 

It was fortmiate for Benjamin Franklin that 
Mr. Yernon did not demand the money while the 
young printer was unprepared to pay it over, 
and have him imprisoned for theft, or embezzle- 
ment. No wonder Dr. Franklin called that 
** misappropriation of funds" one of the first 
great mistakes of his life. Other youths have 
been led as innocently into the same kind of 
wrongdoing, and have paid the penalty by hav- 
ing their whole lives ruined by unfriendly per- 
sons. 

Franklin tells of his youthful love affair. 

"I had made some courtship during this time 
to Miss Read. I had a great respect and affec- 
tion for her, and had some reason to believe she 
had the same for me, but, as I was about to take 
a long voyage, and we were both very young, 
only a little above eighteen, it was thought most 
prudent by her mother to prevent our going too 
far at present, as a marriage, if it was to take 
place, would be more convenient (suitable) after 
my return, when I should be, as I expected, set 
up in my business. Perhaps, too, she thought 

95 



The Story; of Young 

my expectations not so well founded as I 
imagined them to be.'^ 

Among young Franklin's Philadelphia friends 
were *^ Charles Osborne, Joseph Watson and 
James Ralph, all lovers of reading. Watson was 
sensible, candid, frank; sincere and affectionate 
to his friends ; but in literary matters too fond 
of criticizing. Ralph was ingenious, genteel in 
his manners, and extremely eloquent ; I think I 
never knew a prettier talker. Both of them were 
great admirers of poetry, and began to try their 
hands in little pieces. Many pleasant walks we 
had together on Simdays into the woods, near 
the Schuylkill, where we read to one another, 
and conferred on what we read. 

** Ralph was inclined to pursue the study of 
poetry, not doubting but he might become emi- 
nent in it, and make his fortune by it, alleging 
that the best poets must, when they first began 
to write, make as many faults as he did. Os- 
borne dissuaded him, assured him he had no 
genius for poetry, and advised him to think of 
nothing beyond the business he was bred to ; that, 
in the mercantile way, tho' he had no stock, he 
might by his diligence and punctuality, recom- 
mend himself to employment as a factor (an 

96 



Benjamin Franklin 

agent or commission merchant) and in time ac- 
quire wherewith to trade on his own account. I 
approved the amusing one^s self with poetry now 
and then, so far as to improve one's language, 
but no farther." 

So Benjamin was still heeding his father's ad- 
vice and was spared the fate of becoming a poet, 
**most probably a very bad one," as he once con- 
fessed, though he did improve himself in writing 
prose and rendered his name immortal by the 
simplicity of his writing alone, in an age when 
long words and long sentences were the fashion. 
The fate of his friend Ralph was another evi- 
dence of Josiah Franklin's warning to his son 
against following a mere literary or poetic 
career. 

Ralph, being told in confidence of Franklin's 
intention to go to England, decided to go with 
him, as he said, to arrange for a commission 
business, so that he could make a decent living 
by selling English goods in Philadelphia. 
Franklin gave the following account of their 
final preparations and departure from Philadel- 
phia: 

**The Governor, seeming to like my company, 
had me frequently to his house, and setting me 

97 

7 — -FrankUti, 



The Story of Young 

up was always mentioned as a fixed thing. I was 
to take with me letters recommendatory to a 
number of his friends, besides the letter of credit 
to furnish me with the necessary money for pur- 
chasing the press and types, paper, etc. For 
these letters I was appointed to call at different 
times, when they were to be ready ; but a future 
time was still named. 

**Thus we went on till the ship, whose de- 
parture, too, had been several times postponed, 
was on the point of sailing. Then, when I called 
to take my leave and receive the letters, his sec- 
retary. Dr. Bard, came out to me and said the 
Governor was extremely busy in writing, but 
would be down at Newcastle before the ship, and 
there the letters would be delivered to me. 

** Having taken leave of my friends, and in- 
terchanged some promises with Miss Read, I left 
Philadelphia in the ship, which anchored at 
Newcastle (Delaware). The Governor was 
there ; but when I went to his lodgings, the secre- 
tary came to me from him with the civilest mes- 
sage in the world, that he could not see me, being 
engaged in business of the utmost importance, 
but should send the letters to me on board, 
wished me heartily a good voyage and a speedy 

98 



Benjamin Franklin 

return, etc. I returned on board a little puzzled, 
but still not doubting. 

''Mr. Andrew Hamilton, a famous lawyer of 
Philadelphia, had taken passage in the same ship 
for himself and son, and with Mr. Denham, a 
Quaker merchant, had engaged the great cabin ; 
so that Ralph and I were forced to take up a 
berth in the steerage, and none on board know- 
ing us, were considered as ordinary persons.'* 

It was this Andrew Hamilton who gave the 
State House (now known as Independence 
Hall) to Pennsylvania. He was a man of great 
wealth and influence, whose son afterward be- 
came the Governor of the Province. Lawyer 
Hamilton was called back to Philadelphia by an 
urgent case, and took his son with him, so Frank- 
lin and Ralph were invited into the cabin in their 
places. The distinction between cabin and steer- 
age passengers seems to have been as great in 
those days of simplicity and little travel as to- 
day. Franklin went on to tell the story of the 
rude opening of his eyes to the true character of 
the too affable Governor. 

** Understanding that Colonel French had 
brought on board the Governor's despatches, I 
asked the captain for those letters which were to 

99 



The Story of Young 

be under my care. He said all were put into the 
bag together and he could not then come at them ; 
but before we landed in England I should have 
an opportunity of picking them out; so I was 
satisfied for the present, and we proceeded on 
our voyage. 

"We had a sociable company in the cabin, and 
lived uncommonly well, having the addition of 
all Mr. Hamilton's stores, who had laid in plenti- 
fully. In this passage Mr. Denham contracted a 
friendship for me that continued during his life. 
The voj^age was not otherwise a pleasant one, for 
we had a great deal of bad weather. 

"When we came into the Channel the captain 
kept his word with me, and gave me an oppor- 
tunity of examining the bag for the Governor's 
letters. I found none upon which my name was 
put as under my care. I picked out six or seven, 
that, by the handwriting, I thought might be the 
promised letters, especially as one of them was 
directed to Basket, the king's printer, and an- 
other to some stationer. 

"We arrived in London the 24th of December, 
1724. I waited upon the stationer w^ho came first 
in my way, delivering the letter as from Gov- 
ernor Keith. 

100 



Benjamin Franklin 

** 'I don't know such a person,' says he; but, 
opening the letter, *OhI this is from Riddlesden. 
I have lately found him to be a complete rascal, 
and I will have nothing to do with him, nor re- 
ceive any letters from him.' 

*'So, putting the letter into my hand, he 
turned on his heel and left me to serve some cus- 
tomer. I was surprised to find these were not 
the Governor's letters; and, after recollecting 
circumstances, I began to doubt his sincerity. 

**I found my friend Denham and opened the 
whole affair to him. He let me into Keith's 
character ; told me there was not the least prob- 
ability that he had written any letters for me ; 
that no one who knew him had the smallest de- 
pendence on him ; and he laughed at the notion 
of the Governor's giving me a letter of credit, 
having, as he said, no credit to give. 

**0n my expressing some concern about what 
I should do, he advised me to endeavor getting 
some employment in the way of my business. 

" 'Among the printers here,' said he, 'you will 
improve yourself, and when you return to 
America you will set up to better advantage. ' 

"But what shall we think of a Governor's 
playing such pitiful tricks, and imposing so 

101 



The Story of Young 

grossly on a poor ignorant boy ! It was a habit 
he had acquired. He wished to please every- 
body ; and having little to give, he gave expecta- 
tions. He was otherwise an ingenious, sensible 
man, a pretty good writer, and a good Governor 
for the people, tho' not for the proprietaries (the 
descendants of William Penn who, under the 
king's grant, still owned Pennsylvania), whose 
instructions he sometimes disregarded. Several 
of our best laws were of his planning, and passed 
during his administration." 

It was a sad Christmas for the young Ameri- 
can. Instead of buying the type, press and other 
materials for the printing house with which he 
was to make a fortune in Philadelphia, Benja- 
min Franklin had to go around looking for a job 
in the greatest city in the world, compared with 
which Boston and Philadelphia, though they 
were the largest cities in America, were mere 
country towns. 

Young Franklin soon found that his friend, 
Ralph, had no intention whatever of returning 
to his wife and child in America. He first tried 
to find a place as an actor, but Wilkes, the great 
comedian, told him he could not possibly suc- 
ceed in that profession. Then he proposed to 

102 



Benjamin Franklin 

edit a paper like the "Spectator," but that also 
was out of the question. Disappointed in these 
directions he sought to obtain writing or copying 
(there were no typewriters then) for the lawyers 
about the Temple, but he was disappointed even 
in that. 

Benjamin Franklin stood by his friend, sup- 
porting him almost entirely, pajdng his board 
and taking him to places of amusement for about 
a year, when Ralph gave up looking for work in 
London and went out into Berkshire, where he 
taught ten or a dozen boys reading and writing, 
at a sixpence each per week. From there he sent 
poems for Franklin to criticize. At last, becom- 
ing offended, he wi'ote to Franklin that he 
thought a friend who had treated him so badly 
did not deserve to be paid. 

*^So," wrote the old doctor, many years after- 
ward, *^I found I was never to expect his repay- 
ing me what I lent to him, or advanced for him. 
This, however, was not then of much conse- 
quence, as he was totally unable, and in the loss 
of his friendship I found myself relieved from a 
burthen.'' 

From this point the difference in the lives of 
these two American friends seemed to widen. 

103 



The Story of Young 

Young Franklin, by following the path of recti- 
tude, became the most beloved man of his time, 
while young Ralph, after deserting his wife and 
child, led a vicious life, deceiving his friends and 
others, assuming Franklin's name to hide his 
own wrongdoing, yet hoping to atone for the 
crookedness of it all by writing brilliant poetry. 
Even in this he made a miserable failure, for 
Alexander Pope, the first poet of the time, ridi- 
culed Ralph's efforts in a great poetical tirade 
against the dunces who attempted to write 
poetry and failed: 

*^ Silence, ye wolves! while Ralph to 
Cynthia howls. 
And makes night hideous — answer 
him ye owls." 

Thus the name of the false friend, who sought 
to be great without being good, has come down 
to us through the centuries with scorn and 
ridicule only because Franklin had befriended 
him. 



104 



Benjamin Franklin 



CHAPTER IX 



Alone in London 



Franklin, having a trade, and being built of 
better materials than Ralph the deserter, found 
emplo3anent without delay. *'I immediately got 
work at Palmer's," he wrote, *Hhen a famous 
printing house in Bartholomew Close, and there 
I continued near a year. I was pretty diligent, 
but spent with Ralph a good deal of my earnings 
in going to plays and other places of amusement. 
We had together consumed all my pistoles (a 
pistole was worth $3 to $4), and now just rubbed 
on from hand to mouth. He seemed quite to for- 
get his wife and child, and I, by degrees, my en- 
gagements with Miss Read, to whom I never 
wrote more than one letter, and that was to let 
her know that I was not likely soon to return. 

*'This was another of the great errata of my 
life, which I should wish to correct if I were to 
live it over again. In fact, by our expenses, I 
was constantly kept unable to pay my passage 
(back to America).'' 

105 



The Story of Young 

While working at Palmer's this youth of nine- 
teen *' wrote a little metaphysical piece entitled 
* A Dissertation on Liberty and Necessity, Pleas- 
ure and Pain/ " which he dedicated to Ralph. 
This essay commended the young printer to Mr. 
Palmer, his employer, and to some literary peo- 
ple in London, but Franklin afterward consid- 
ered it a great mistake to have printed in a 
pamphlet and distributed it. 

Even though the young American seemed to 
forget his lady love, he could not live without 
books. He told how he procured good read- 
ing: 

^^ While I lodged in Little Britain (a district 
of London) I made an acquaintance with one 
Wilcox, a bookseller, whose shop was at the next 
door. He had an immense collection of second- 
hand books. Circulating libraries were not then 
in use ; but we agreed that, on certain reasonable 
terms, which I have now forgotten, I might take, 
read, and return any of his books. This I 
esteemed a great advantage, and I made as much 
use of it as I could.'' 

Franklin himself founded the first circulating 
library in America. What a boon the ordinary 
free library of to-day would have been to that 



Benjamin Franklin 

home student ! After he had worked at Palmer's 
about a year, and having no longer Ralph's com- 
pany, he began to think of getting money enough 
ahead to return to America. He soon found 
work "at Watts 's, a still greater printing 
house." 

The young American printer was permitted to 
meet some of the prominent Englishmen of his 
day. While the great men of London were 
seeking out young Franklin he was doing the 
hardest kind of work in Watts 's printing es- 
tablishment, and trying to benefit his fellow- 
worlvmen by instructing them in true temper- 
ance. He gives a humorous account of this ex- 
perience. 

**I took to working at press, imagining I felt 
a want of bodily exercise I had been used to in 
America, where presswork is mixed with com- 
posing (setting type). I drank only water; the 
other workmen, near fifty in number, were great 
guzzlers of beer. On occasion I carried up and 
down stairs a large form of types in each hand, 
when others carried but one in both hands. They 
wondered to see, from this and several instances, 
that the * Water American,' as they called me, 
was stronger than themselves. 

107 



The Story of Young 

"We had an alehouse boy who attended al- 
ways in the house to supply the workmen. My 
companion at the press drank every day a pint 
before breakfast; a pint at breakfast with his 
bread and cheese ; a pint between breakfast and 
dinner ; a pint at dinner ; a pint in the afternoon 
about six o'clock, and another when he had done 
his day's work. 

**I thought it a detestable custom; but it was 
necessary, he supposed, to drink strong beer that 
he might be strong to labor. I endeavored to 
convince him that the bodily strength afforded 
by beer could only be in proportion to the grain 
or flour of the barley dissolved in the water of 
which it was made ; that there was more flour in 
a pennyworth of bread; and therefore if he 
would eat that with a pint of water, it would give 
him more strength than a quart of beer. 

**He drank on, however, and had four or five 
shillings to pay out of his wages every Saturday 
night for that muddling liquor, an expense I was 
free from. And thus these poor fellows keep 
themselves always under!'' 

O rare Ben Franklin! Hardly more than a 
boy, he was giving the best advice and setting a 
consistent example to the men who worked with 

108 




THE "WATER AMERICAN" WAS STRONGER THAN THEMSEI<VES. 



Benjamin Franklin 

him. Temperance, as known to-day, was un- 
heard of in Franklin's time. Ministers drank 
liquors freely and no one thought it was wrong. 
Nowadays a printer drinking beer in working 
hours would be discharged quickly. Yet, accord- 
ing to Franklin's story, the nearest alehouse 
keeper found it worth while to keep a boy in the 
printing house all the time to serve the men with 
their several quarts a day. The *'four or five 
shillings a week'' which they had to pay for beer 
was sometimes about one-third of their weekly 
wage, and a terrible drain upon the purses of the 
men, especially of those who had families to sup- 
port. Here is an instance of Franklin's early 
thrift and good nature : 

"Watts, after some weeks, desiring to have me 
in the composing room, I left the pressmen; a 
new hien venu (French for welcome) or sum for 
drink, being five shillings, was demanded of me 
by the compositors. I thought it an imposition, 
as I had paid below ; the master thought so, too, 
and forbade my paying it. 

"I stood out two or three weeks, was accord- 
ingly considered as an excommunicate, and had 
so many little pieces of private mischief done 
me, by mixing my sorts (different kinds of type)^ 

109 



The Story of Young 

transposing my pages, breaking my matter 
(type that is set up), etc., etc., if I were ever so 
little out of the room, and all ascribed to the 
* chapel ghost,' which they said ever haunted 
those not regularly admitted, that, notwithstand- 
ing the master's protection, I found myself 
obliged to comply and pay the money, convinced 
of the folly of being on ill terms with those one is 
compelled to live with continually." 

Franklin's success seems to have been due 
largely to the fact that he did not retain a grudge 
or maintain a quarrel. He was always so good- 
natured that people not only could not quarrel 
with him, but came to like him heartily. He had 
common sense enough to see that, as a matter of 
business, it was better to be on friendly terms 
with his fellow- workmen. 

*'I was now on a fair footing with them, and 
soon acquired considerable influence. I pro- 
posed some alterations in their chapel laws, and 
carried them against all opposition. From my 
example a great part of them left their muddling 
breakfast of beer, and bread and cheese, finding 
they could, with me, be supplied from a neigh- 
boring house with a large porringer of hot water- 
gruel, sprinkled with pepper, crumbed with 

110 



Benjamin Franklin 

bread, and a bit of butter in it, for the price of a 
pint of beer, namely, three halfpence. 

''This was a more comfortable as well as 
cheaper breakfast, and kept their heads clearer. 
Thoce who continued sotting with beer all day, 
were often, by not paying, out of credit at the 
alehouse, and used to make interest with me to 
get beer — their light, as they phrased it, being 
out! I watched the pay-table on Saturday 
night, and collected what I stood engaged for 
them, having to pay sometimes near thirty shil- 
lings on their accounts. 

''This, and my being esteemed a pretty good 
rig git e, that is, a jocular verbal satirist, sup- 
ported my consequence (importance) in their 
society. My constant attendance (I never mak- 
ing it a St. Monday) (never stayed out Monday 
as if it were a holiday) recommended me to the 
master, and my uncommon quickness at com- 
posing (setting type) occasioned my being put 
upon all work of dispatch, which was generally 
better paid. So I went on now very agreeably." 

A printing house used to be called a "chapel" 
because Caxton, the earliest English printer, car- 
ried on his first printing in a chapel near West- 
minster Abbey in London. It is believed also 

111 



The Story of Young 

that the custom of calling the printer's errand 
boy a '^ devil" came from the fact that Caxton's 
office boy's name was Deville. There are other 
theories for the naming of the 'Sprinter's devil," 
but this seems the simplest and most likely. 

Franklin tells in his life of himself how near 
he came to becoming a swimming master: 

s'At Watts 's printing house I contracted an 
acquaintance with an ingenious young man, one 
Wygate, who, having wealthy relations, had been 
better educated than most printers ; was a toler- 
able Latinist, spoke French, and loved reading. 
I taught him and a friend of his to swim, at 
twice going into the river, and they soon became 
good swimmers. 

s'They introduced me to some gentlemen from 
the country who went to Chelsea by water. On 
our return, at the request of the company, whose 
curiosity Wygate had excited, I stripped and 
leaped into the river, and swam from near 
Chelsea to Blackfriars, performing on the way 
many feats of activity, both upon and under 
water, that surprised and pleased those to whom 
they were novelties." 

The distance he swam was about four miles. 

''I had from a child been ever delighted with 

112 



Benjamin Franklin 

this exercise, had studied and practised all 
Thevenot's motions and positions, added some 
of my own, aiming at the graceful and easy, as 
well as the useful. All these I took this occasion 
of exhibiting to the company, and was much 
flattered by their admiration ; and Wygate, who 
was desirous of becoming a master, grew more 
and more attached to me on that account, as well 
as from the similarity of our studies. He at 
length proposed to me traveling all over Europe 
together, supporting ourselves everywhere by 
working at our business. I was once inclined to 
it; but, mentioning it to my good friend Mr. 
Denham, with whom I often spent an hour when 
I had leisure, he dissuaded me from it, advising 
me to think only of returning to Pennsylvania, 
which he was now about to do. 

*'I was, to my surprise, sent for by a great man 
I knew only by name, a Sir William Wyndham, 
and I waited upon him. He had heard by some 
means or other of my swimming from Chelsea 
to Blackfriars, and of my teaching "Wygate and 
another young man to swim in a few hours. 

**He had two sons about to set out on their 
travels; he wished to have them first taught 
swimming, and proposed to gratify me hand- 

113 

S — Frunkiin. 



The Story of Young 

somely if I would teach them. They were not yet 
come to town, and my stay was uncertain, so I 
could not undertake it ; but from this incident I 
thought it likely that if I were to remain in Eng- 
land and open a swimming-school, I might get a 
good deal of money ; and it struck me so strongly 
that, had the overture been sooner made to me, 
probably I should not so soon have returned to 
America." 

Mr. Denham, young Franklin's good Quaker 
friend and counselor, did much for America in 
advising that young adventurer and philosopher 
to go back to his native land. 

This Mr. Denham had lived, years before, in 
Bristol, England, and had failed in business 
there. So he went to America to make his for- 
tune. Having succeeded in this, he now re- 
turned to his old home to *' make good." He in- 
vited his former creditors to a dinner in Bristol. 
Each guest found, on turning his plate, the 
amount which had been due him, with the inter- 
est added. 

"He (Mr. Denham) now told me he was about 
to return to Philadelphia, and should carry over 
a great quantity of goods in order to open a store 
there. He proposed to take me over as his clerk, 

114 



Benjamin Franklin 

to keep his books (in which he would instruct 
me), copy his letters, and attend the store. He 
aded that as soon as I should be acquainted with 
mercantile business, he would promote me by 
sending me with a cargo of flour and bread, etc., 
to the West Indies, and procure me commissions 
from others which would be profitable ; and if I 
managed well he would establish me handsomely. 
The thing pleased me, for I was grown tired of 
London, remembered with pleasure the happy 
months I had spent in Pennsylvania, and wished 
again to see it ; therefore I immediately agreed 
on the terms of fifty pounds a year, Pennsyl- 
vania money ; less, indeed, than my present get- 
tings, but affording a better prospect. 

**I now took leave of printing, as I thought for 
ever, and was daily employed in my new busi- 
ness, going about with Mr. Denham among the 
tradesmen to purchase various articles, and see- 
ing them packed up, doing errands, calling upon 
workmen to dispatch, etc. ; and when all was on 
board I had a few days' leisure. 

*'Thus I spent about eighteen months in Lon- 
don, most part of the time I worked hard at my 
business, and spent but little upon myself except 
in seeing plays and in books. My friend Ralph 

115 



The Story of Young 

had kept me poor; he owed me about twenty- 
seven pounds ($135), which I was never likely to 
receive — a great sum out of my small earnings ! 
I loved him, notwithstanding, for he had many 
amiable qualities. I had by no means improved 
my fortune, but I had picked up some very in- 
genious acquaintances, whose conversation was 
of great advantage to me; and I had read con- 
siderably/' 

Whatever young Franklin found to do he did 
with might and main, and did it well, whether 
laboring at the press, swimming or reading. 
He worked faithfully during working hours, 
and spending his spare time in a profitable way, 

''We sailed from Gravesend on the 23d of 
July, 1726. For the incidents of the voyage, per- 
haps the most important is the plan which I 
formed at sea, for regulating my future conduct 
in life. It is the more remarkable, as being 
formed when I was so young, and yet being 
pretty faithfully adhered to quite thro' to old 
age.'* 



116 



Benjamin Franklin 



CHAPTER X 



In" Philadelphia Again Looking for Work 



Old Mr. Denham and young Mr. Franklin 
landed in Philadelphia, October 11, 1726 — three 
years and one day after Benjamin's first arrival 
at Market Street wharf. How much had hap- 
pened in those three years I The poor, hard- 
working printer of twenty had associated with 
governors and other distinguished men, on both 
sides of the Atlantic, and was now coming back 
to go into the dry goods business. 

Young Franklin **found sundry alterations" 
in Philadelphia during the two years, nearly, 
that he had been away. ** Keith was no longer 
Governor, being superseded by Major Gordon. 
I met him walking the streets as a common citi- 
zen. He seemed a little ashamed at seeing me, 
but passed without saying anything. 

"I should have been as much ashamed at see- 
ing Miss Read, had not her friends, despairing, 
with reason, of my return after the receipt of my 

117 



The Story of Young 

letter, persuaded her to marry another, one 
Rogers, a potter, which was done in my absence. 
"With him, however, she was never happy, and 
soon parted with him, refusing to bear his name, 
it being now said that he had another wife. He 
was a worthless fellow, tho' an excellent work- 
man, which was the temptation to her friends. 
He got into debt, ran away in 1727 or 1728, went 
to the West Indies, and died there." 

Mr. Denham opened his store at once and his 
versatile clerk ^'attended the business diligently, 
studied accounts, and grew, in a little time, ex- 
pert at selling." Merchant and clerk lived to- 
gether like father and son until Benjamin was 
twenty-one. 

Franklin afterwards told of a sickness which 
overtook him then : 

**When I was just past my twenty-first year 
I was taken ill. My distemper was a pleurisy 
which nearly carried me off. I suffered a great 
deal, gave up the point in my own mind, and was 
rather disappointed when I found myself re- 
covering, regretting in some degree, that I must 
now, some time or other, have all that disagree- 
able work to do over." 

Mr. Denham, meanwhile had come down with 

118 



Benjanun Franklin 

a distemper from which he died, leaving his 
yomig friend a small legacy by word of mouth. 

There was nothing for it but go back to work 
at his trade. Calling on the printers, he found 
Keimer's shop much better equipped than when 
he began to work in it three years before. But, 
while there were several hands employed there, 
they were not experienced. Keimer offered 
young Franklin ^' large wages, by the year, to 
come and take the management of his printing 
house that he, Keimer, might better attend his 
stationer's shop.'' 

Benjamin made a formal agreement with his 
former employer, because he could find nothing 
better to do, though he had heard much against 
Keimer's character from the man's wife and 
friends in London. 

But he seems to have made the best of every- 
thing, for he wrote of his experiences with the 
hands at Keimer's: *'I began to live very agree- 
ably, for they all respected me the more as they 
found Keimer incapable of instructing them, 
and that from me they learned something daily. 

^'We never worked on Saturday, that being 
Keimer's Sabbath, so I had two days for read- 
ing. My acquaintance with ingenious people in 

119 



The Story; of Young 

the town increased. Keimer himself treated me 
with great civility and apparent regard, and 
nothing now made me uneasy but my debt to 
Vernon, which I was yet unable to pay, being 
hitherto but a poor economist. He, however, 
kindly made no demand of if 

Not only did Benjamin made himself useful 
by teaching the men in Keimer ^s place, but he 
became the first type founder in America, as he 
modestly explained: 

*'Our printing house often wanted 'sorts' 
(certain letters or characters to complete the 
fonts of type) and there was no letter (type) 
founder in America; I had seen types cast at 
James's in London, but without much attention 
to manner; however, I now contrived a mould, 
made use of the letters we had as puncheons, 
struck the matrices in lead, and thus supplied, in 
a pretty tolerable way, all deficiencies. I also 
engraved several things on occasion. I made 
the ink; I was warehouseman, and everything, 
and, in short, quite a factotum (do-it-all). 

^*But, however serviceable I might be, I found 
that my services became every day of less im- 
portance as the other hands improved in the 
business ; and when Keimer paid me my second 

120 



Benjamin Franklin 

quarter's wages he let me know that he felt them 
too heavy, and thought I should make an abate- 
ment. He grew by degrees less civil, put on 
more of the master, found fault, was captious, 
and seemed ready for an outbreaking. I went 
on, nevertheless, with a good deal of patience, 
thinking that his encumbered circumstances 
were partly the cause. 

**At length a trifle snapped our connections; 
for, a great noise happening near the court 
house, I put my head out of the window to see 
what was the matter. Keimer , being in the 
street, looked up and saw me, called out in a 
loud voice and angry tone to mind my business, 
adding some reproachful words that nettled me 
more for their publicity ; all the neighbors were 
looking out on the same occasion, being witness 
how I was treated. 

"He came up immediately into the printing 
house, and continued the quarrel. High words 
passed on both sides. He gave me the quarter's 
warning we had stipulated, expressing a wish 
that he had not been obliged to so long a warn- 
ing. I told him his wish was unnecessary, for I 
would leave him that instant ; and so, taking my 
hat, walked out of doors, desiring Meredith, 

121 



The Story of Young 

whom I saw below, to take care of some things 
I left, and bring them to my lodgings/' 

Young Franklin, disgusted with this experi- 
ence and the fact that he had been unable to find 
employment with any of the merchants of Phil- 
adelphia, after learning that business under Mr. 
Denham, began to think of going back to Boston 
to live. He had been away from liis family 
nearly three years, and being twenty-one, his 
brother could make no claim upon him now. 
The time which had elapsed since he ran away 
from Boston was the period required for an 
ordinary college course, but few students ever 
have learned more than Benjamin Franklin had 
picked up in the ** university of adversity.'' 

Hugh Meredith came, as requested, bringing 
the articles the foreman had left at Keimer's. 
Like nearly every one else who knew Franklin, 
Hugh had a great regard for him. He called at- 
tention to the fact that Keimer was heavily in 
debt, that he showed poor business management, 
and that his creditors were already becoming 
uneasy. The disagreeable old printer was sure 
to fail and Franklin could step in and take ad- 
vantage of this by opening a printing office on a 
sounder basis and under far better management. 

122 




HE CONTINUED THE QUARREL. 



I 



Benjamin Franklin 

**But/' Franklin demurred, "I have no 
money." 

"My father has a high opinion of you," said 
Meredith, *'and if you will go into partnership 
with me, I am sure he will advance the money to 
set us up. My time will be out with Keimer in 
the Spring ; by that time we may have our press 
and types in from London. I am sensible I am 
no workman; if you like it, your skill in the 
business shall be set against the stock I furnish, 
and we will share the profits equally." 

To this young Franklin agreed. He again 
made a list of the things required in a printing 
office and sent to London for them. While he 
was casting about for work to do meanwhile, 
Keimer sent him a polite message to the effect 
that **old friends should not part for a few 
words, the effect of a sudden passion, ' ' and asked 
the offended foreman to come back. Meredith 
urged him to do so, as then Franklin could give 
him more instruction and make him more use- 
ful in their own business when they should go in 
together. 

Franklin called on Keimer and found that 
there was a chance to print some paper money 
for the Province of New Jersey, which only he 

123 



The Story of Young 

could manage, and that Keimer was afraid 
Bradford would hire him first and thus secure 
the desirable contract. 

**So I returned," wrote Franklin, **and we 
went on more smoothly than for some time be- 
fore. The New Jersey job was obtained. I con- 
trived a copper-plate press for it, the first that 
had been seen in the country. I cut several or- 
naments and checks for the bills. We went to- 
gether to Burlington, where I executed the whole 
to satisfaction; and he received so large a sum 
for the work as to be enabled thereby to keep his 
head above water/' 

**I contrived a copper-plate press,'' was 
Franklin's modest way of mentioning one of his 
many inventions. In the same way that young 
Franklin was the first to make moulds and cast 
the type for his employer to use in printing, he 
was the first to do copper-plate engraving of the 
most exacting sort for the printing of paper 
money. Franklin did his best for his old em- 
ployer, though he had treated him so badly for 
the mere purpose of getting rid of him. He had 
not a petty or grudging spirit, and it proved bet- 
ter for him, in a business way, to treat Keimer 
generously, for he formed valuable and life-long 

124 



Benjamin Franklin 

friendships while working for his employer in 
New Jersey. 

Shortly after their return from Burlington 
the type and other things for their new printing 
office arrived from London. Franklin and 
Meredith left Keimer's together, with his con- 
sent, before he heard they were going to be his 
rivals in business. 

Over forty years afterward, Franklin, then a 
successful statesman and diplomat, referred ten- 
derly to the pleasure he and Meredith took in 
going into business for themselves : 

"We found a house to hire near the market, 
and took it. To lessen the rent, which was then 
but twenty-four pounds a year, tho' I have since 
known it to let for seventy, we took in Thomas 
Godfrey, a glazier, and his family, who were to 
pay a considerable part of it to us, and we to 
board with them. 

"We had scarce opened our letters (type) 
and put our press in order before George House, 
an acquaintance of mine, brought to us a coun- 
tryman whom he had met in the street inquiring 
for a printer. All our cash was now expended in 
the variety of particulars we had been obliged to 
procure, and this countryman's five shillings, 

125 



The Story of Young 

being our first fruits, and coming so seasonably, 
gave me more pleasure than any crown (about 
$1.25) I have since earned ; and the gratitude I 
felt toward House has made me often more 
ready than perhaps I would otherwise have been 
to assist young beginners.'' 

Franklin, though he became one of the world's 
most illustrious inventors, philosophers, states- 
men and diplomats, was alwaj^s proud of his 
trade and liked to sign his name '*B. Franldin, 
Printer," just as Stephen Girard, the richest 
man of his day, affixed his business, '' Mariner 
and Merchant," after his name. Only the small 
man "gets above his business." 



CHAPTER XI 



**B. Franklin and H. Meredith" 



During the autumn before he left Keimer's 
employ, young Franklin associated twelve of the 
most intellectual young men of his acquaintance 
together into a club named the "Junto," which 
met Friday evenings. Each member was re- 

126 



Benjamin Franklin 

quired to declare from his heart that he loved 
mankind, and that he believed no man should be 
harmed in body, name or goods because of his 
opinions or creed. Every member, also, should 
be able to say that he loved truth for truth's 
sake, that he would seek truth, and when he 
found it he would make it known to others. 

Those twelve young men discussed the widest 
range of questions. Here are only a few of 
them: 

"Have you met with anything in the author 
you last read remarkable or suitable to be com- 
municated to the Junto, particularly in history, 
morality, poetry, physics, travels, mechanic arts, 
or other parts of knowledge?'' 

*' What new story have you lately heard, agree- 
able for telling in conversation?" 

*'What unhappy effects of intemperance have 
you lately observed or heard, or any other vice 
or folly?" 

"Do you think of anything at present in 
which the Junto may be serviceable to mankind, 
to their country, to their friends, or to them- 
selves?" 

"Have you lately observed any encroachment 
on the just liberties of the people?" 

127 



The Story of Young 

''How may smoky chimneys be cured ?'^ 
''Why does the flame of a candle tend up- 
wards in a spire?" 

"Is the emission of paper money safe?" 
"What is the reason that men of the greatest 
knowledge are not the most happy?" 

"Can any one particular form of government 
suit all mankind?" 

In answering some of these queries, like 
"How may smoky chimneys be cured?" and 
"Why does the flame of a candle tend upwards 
in a spire?" Franklin developed the Franklin 
stove and invented his lamp burner. He also 
printed his discussion of the paper money ques- 
tion which made a great stir in the colonies, for 
there was no one found who could answer it 
satisfactorily. About forty years after the 
founding of this little club of truth-seekers the 
American Philosophical Society was organized. 
This society still flourishes and wise men came 
from all the civilized nations of the world to 
Philadelphia in 1906, two hundred years from 
the date of Franklin's birth, to do honor to the 
memory of the studious, observing youth of 
twenty-one who started that earnest little 
"Junto," in 1728. 

128 



Benjamin Franklin 

Young Franklin was, what most so-called 
philosophers are not, a shrewd man of affairs. 
He turned the Junto to account in a business 
way. After describing the first members of their 
mutual improvement club, he wrote : 

*'But my giving this account of it here is to 
show something of the interest I had, every one 
of these exerting themselves in recommending 
business to us. Breintnal particularly procured 
lis, from the Quakers, the printing of forty 
sheets of their history, the rest being done by 
Keimer; and upon this we worked exceedingly 
hard, for the price was low. I composed (set 
type) of it a sheet a day, and Meredith worked it 
off at press; it was often eleven at night, and 
sometimes later, before I had finished my distri- 
bution (of the type set up) for the next day's 
work, for the little jobs sent in by our other 
friends now and then put us back But so deter- 
mined I was to continue doing a sheet a day of 
the folio, that one night when, having imposed 
my forms, I thought my day's work over, one of 
them by accident was broken, and two pages re- 
duced to *pi' (a mixed up mess of type). I im- 
mediately distributed and composed it over 
again before I went to bed; and this industry, 

129 

9 — Franklin. 



The Story of Young 

visible to our neighbors, began to give us char- 
acter and credit; particularly, I was told, that 
mention being made of the new printing office at 
the merchants' Every Night Club, the general 
opinion was that it must fail, there being al- 
ready two printers in the place, Keimer and 
Bradford ; but Dr. Baird gave a contrary opin- 
ion. ^For the industry of that Franklin,' said 
he, *is superior to anything I ever saw of the 
kind; I see him at work when I go home from 
club, and he is at work again before his neigh- 
bors are out of bed.' 

''This struck the rest, and we soon after had 
offers from one of them to supply us with sta- 
tionery; but as yet we did not choose to engage 
in the shop business." 

Of course, old Keimer was not pleased when 
he learned that Franklin and Meredith had set 
up another printing office in competition with 
his. As ''rats forsake a sinking ship," George 
Webb, another of Keimer 's workmen, who had 
found a friend to buy his remaining time of 
Keimer, came to the new firm to hire out. Frank- 
lin tells of his own want of discretion : 

"We could not then employ him; but I fool- 
ishly let him know, as a secret, that I soon in- 

130 



Benjamiu Franklin 

tended to begin a newspaper, and might then 
have work for him. My hopes of success, as I 
told him, were founded on this, that the then 
only newspaper, printed by Bradford, was a pal- 
try thing, wretchedly managed, no way enter- 
taining, and yet was profitable to him. I there- 
fore thought a good paper would scarcely fail of 
good encouragement. 

**I requested Webb not to mention it: but he 
told it to Keimer, who immediately, to be before- 
hand with me, published proposals for printing 
one himself, on which Webb was to be em- 
ployed." 

Perhaps Franklin had this experience in mind 
when he wrote, as *'Poor Richard," the maxim: 
*' Three can keep a secret if two are dead." But 
the active member of the firm of *'B. Franklin 
and H. Meredith" was ready to cope with his old 
employer and enemy. Instead of starting his 
paper at once, he joined forces with Bradford, 
and made the *' Mercury" interesting and even 
entertaining for the first time in its history. 
Franklin did this in the form of "pieces of en- 
tertainment" contributed under the name of the 
**Busy Body." This correspondence was some- 
thing after the order of the letters of ''Silence 

131 



The Story of Young 

Dogood'' to the *^New England Courant," his 
brother's newspaper. But the "Busy Body" 
had a more definite object in view than '^ Goody 
Dogood" — that of ridiculing Keimer and his 
paper, which bore the long, high-sounding name 
of ''The Universal Instructor in All Arts and 
Science and the Pennsylvania Gazette I" This 
weekly journal was, if possible, more dull and 
vapid than Bradford's ''Mercury" before young 
Franklin began to contribute to it. 

Keimer 's "Instructor" worried along weekly, 
and weakly, most of the time for nine months, 
when it had only ninety subscribers. It was 
with a significant smile that the rising young 
journalist bought Keimer 's paper "for a trifle" 
— the old printer had spited himself and done 
Franklin a good turn by starting the paper and 
selling it at a great loss to himself. 

Franklin dropped the long title and called 
the paper "The Pennsylvania Gazette." This 
was in 1729. It rapidly became the greatest 
newspaper south of New York, and is still pub- 
lished weekly under the name of ' ' The Saturday 
Evening Post." 

Before the "Gazette" had been runnii^g a 
month under its new management it contained 

132 



Benjamin Franklin 

the following announcement, which must have 
astonished the public, for no one had thought of 
receiving a newspaper oftener than once a 
week : 

** Instead of publishing a whole sheet once a 
week, as the first undertaker (!), Keimer, en- 
gaged to do in his proposals, we shall continue to 
publish a half sheet twice a week, which amounts 
to the same thing ; only it is easier to us, and we 
think it will be more acceptable to our readers, 
as their entertainment will by this means become 
more frequent.'^ 

But Franklin, as usual, was in advance of his 
time. The wiseacres shook their heads. A semi- 
weekly was setting the popular pace at a too 
rapid gait; so the young journalist, after issuing 
it twice a week for several weeks, was obliged to 
change it back to a weekly. 

This story told of the young publisher at this 
time reflects credit upon his discretion and char- 
acter : 

*' While Franklin was struggling along, bur- 
dened with debts, a respected neighbor came in 
with an article which he said would make a stir, 
give the newspaper life, and pay well. 

^^ 'I am glad to have something to give the 

133 



The Story of Young 

paper life and make it entertaining,' replied 
Franklin, *I will read this as soon as I can.' 

** *I will call to-morrow,' said the man of in- 
fluence. *I know you will like it — it is a needed 
rebuke. ' 

*'When young Franklin came to read the ar- 
ticle, he found it full of bitterness and ridicule — 
written in a spirit of revenge. He felt sure that, 
if printed, it would be read by those interested 
in such personal attacks. It would make people 
laugh, but he decided not to publish it because 
it would do a wrong to a certain person. 

*'He needed money badly. He went to the 
baker's and bought a two-penny roll, ate it in 
his office and slept the sleep of the just. 

**Next day the wealthy citizen called and 
asked : 

*' 'Have you read it?' 

" *Yes, sir.' 

*' 'What do you think of it?' 

'' 'That I cannot use it, sir.' 

" 'Why notr said the man, astonished. 

" 'I am not sure but that it would do a wrong 
to the person you have attacked. There are al- 
ways two sides to a story. I should not like such 
things printed about me.' 

134 



Benjamin Franklin 

^^ *But you will lose the money, young man, 
have you thought of thatT 

''Young Franklin drew himself up, in the 
strength of his young manhood, and answered 
slowly and firmly: 

'' 'I am sorry to say, sir, that I think the ar- 
ticle is scurrilous and defamatory. But I have 
been at a loss, on account of my poverty, whether 
to reject it or not. I, therefore, put it to this 
issue. At night when my work was done I 
bought a two-penny loaf, on which I supped 
heartily. Then wrapping myself in my great 
coat, I slept soundly on the floor until morning, 
when another loaf and a mug of water afforded 
a pleasant breakfast. 

" 'Now, sir, since I can live very comfortably 
in this manner, why should I prostitute my 
press to personal hatred or party passion for a 
more luxurious living'?' " 

The next time New Jersey wanted paper 
money printed, it was Franklin, not Keimer, 
who was sent for. This job paid him so well that 
he ventured to take his press with him and made 
this half humorous apology : 

''The printer hopes the irregular publication 
of this paper will be excused a few times by his 

135 



The Story of Young 

town readers, in consideration of his being at 
Burlington with the press, laboring for the pub- 
lic good, to 7nake money more plentiful." 

Surely that was as good an excuse as he could 
have offered for the offense. In the hands of 
such a manager the "Gazette" flourished and 
throve. Franklin was a born advertiser, and 
wrote a great many advertisements to promote 
his paper, as well as for his patrons. lie also 
established the custom of requiring subscribers 
to pay in advance, for half the year at least. This 
saved great expense, time and patience, and the 
people appreciated the "Gazette" more after 
paying for it. Franlvlin himself gives good rea- 
sons for its prosperity : 

"Our first papers made a different appearance 
from any before in the Province ; a better type, 
and better printed; but some spirited remarks 
of my writing, on the dispute, then going on be- 
tween Governor Burnet and the Massachusetts 
Assembly, struck the principal people, occa- 
sioned the paper and the manager of it to be 
much talked of, and in a few weeks brought them 
all to be our subscribers. 

"Their example was followed by many, and 
our number went on growing continually. This 

136 



Benjamin Franklin 

was one of the first good effects of my having 
learnt a little to scribble; another was, that the 
leading men, seeing a newspaper now in the 
hands of one who could also handle a pen, 
thought it convenient (proper) to oblige and 
encourage me. Bradford still printed the votes 
and laws and other public business. He had 
printed an address of the House in a coarse, 
blundering manner; we reprinted it elegantly 
and correctly, and sent one to every member. 
They were sensible of the difference, it strength- 
ened the hands of our friends in the House, and 
they voted us their printers for the year ensuing. 

^'Mr. Vernon, about this time, put me in mind 
of the debt I owed him, but did not press me. I 
wrote an ingenuous (frank) letter of acknowl- 
edgment, craved his forbearance a little longer, 
which he allowed me, and as soon as I was able, 
I paid the principal with interest and many 
thanks ; so that erratum was in some degree cor- 
rected. 

"But now another difficulty came upon me 
which I had never the least reason to expect. Mr. 
Meredith's father, who was to have paid for our 
printing house, according to the expectations 
given me, was able to advance only one hundred 

137 



The Story of Young 

pounds currency, which had been paid; and a 
hundred more was duo to the merchant who grew 
impatient and sued us all. We gave bail, but 
saw that if the money could not be raised in time 
the suit must come to a judgment and execution, 
and our hopeful prospects must, with us, be 
ruined, as the press and letters (type) must be 
sold for payment, perhaps at half price. 

*'In this distress two friends, whose kindness 
I have never forgotten, nor ever shall forget 
while I can remember anything, came to me sep- 
arately, unknown to each other, and, without any 
application from me, offering each of them to 
advance me all the money that should be neces- 
sary to enable me to take the whole business 
upon myself, if that should be practicable; but 
they did not like my continuing the partnership 
with Meredith, who, as they said, was often seen 
drunk in the streets, and playing at low games 
in alehouses, much to our discredit. 

''I told them I could not propose a separation 
while any prospect remained of the Merediths 
fulfilling their part of our agreement, because I 
thought myself under great obligations to them 
for what they had done, and would do if they 
could ; but, if they finally failed in their perf orm- 

138 



Benjamin Franklin 

ance, and our partnership must be dissolved, I 
should then think myself at liberty to accept the 
assistance of my friends." 

Young Franklin's first business venture was 
beset in the same manner as that of young Lin- 
coln after he had bought a store with William 
Berry's money — that is, a drunken partner. 
Both Franklin and Lincoln were men of strong 
temperance principles, in times and places where 
it was not yet a moral question. It seemed the 
irony of fate that these two ''righteous souls" 
should have been vexed in this way. Young 
Franklin took a manly, charitable view of Hugh 
Meredith's bad habits. The father had prom- 
ised to advance the money hoping that partner- 
ship with such an industrious, thrifty, agreeable 
young f(illow as Benjamin Franklin would be 
the saving of his son. 

After letting the matter rest a while, Frank- 
lin said to his partner : 

**If your father is not satisfied with me I will 
resign and go about my business." 

"No," said Meredith, ''he has bec^n disap- 
pointed in his money and is really unable to pay 
the rest. I do not wish to see him distressed 
any more. I am not fitted to be a printer. I 

139 



The Story of Young 

was brought up a farmer and it was foolisli of 
me, at thirty, to try to learn a new trade. I have 
friends in North Carolina. I will go down there 
on a farm. If you will assume the company's 
debts and return to my father the hunderd 
pounds ($500) he has advanced, pay my little 
debts and give me thirty pounds ($150) and a 
new saddle, I will give up this business and leave 
it all in your hands.'' 

"I agreed to this," says Franklin, "and the 
year after, when Meredith was settled in Caro- 
lina, he wrote me two long letters about that 
Southern country, its soil and climate, and when 
I printed them in our paper, they seemed to 
please the public." 

When relieved of his partner the young 
printer, wishing not to be partial, went to his 
two generous friends, accepted half the amount 
from each, paid the company's debts, advertised 
the dissolving of the partnership and carried on 
the business in his own name. 

Through Mr. Andrew Hamilton, the giver of 
the State House, '^B. Franklin, Printer," was 
awarded the contract for printing paper money 
for Delaware, and "the printing of the laws and 
votes for that government." Then he opened a 

140 




I WAS NOT ABCJVIC MV BUSINESS. 



Benjamin Franklin 

stationer's shop also, with ''blanks of all sorts, 
the correctest that ever appeared among us," 
also paper, parchments, chapmen's (dealers') 
books, etc. 

*'I began now gradually to pay off the debt I 
was under for the printing house. In order to 
secure my credit and character as a tradesman, 
I took care not only to be in reality industrious 
and frugal, but to avoid all appearances to the 
contrary. I dressed plainly; I was seen at no 
places of idle diversion. I never went out fish- 
ing or shooting; a book, indeed, sometimes de- 
bauched me from my work, but that was seldom, 
was private and gave no scandal; and, to show 
that I was not above my business, I sometimes 
brought home the paper I purchased at the 
stores thro' the streets on a wheelbarrow. 

''Thus, being esteemed an industrious, thriv- 
ing young man, and paying duly for what I 
bought, the merchants who imported station- 
ery solicited my custom; others proposed sup- 
plying me with books, and I went on swim- 
mingly. 

"In the meantime, Keimer's credit and busi- 
ness declining daily, he was at last forced to sell 
his printing house to satisfy his creditors. He 

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The Story of Young 

went to Barbados and there lived some years in 
very poor circumstances. 

^' There remained now no competitor with me 
at Philadelphia, but the old one, Bradford, who 
was rich and easy, did a little printing, now and 
then, by straggling hands, but was not very 
anxious about the business. However, as he kept 
the post office, it was imagined that he had better 
opportunities of obtaining news ; his paper was 
thought a better distributor of advertisements 
than mine and therefore had many more, which 
was a profitable thing to him, and a disadvantage 
to me." 

"Not slothful in business" was young Frank- 
lin's rule of conduct while establishing his print- 
ing house and his reputation. He must have de- 
veloped at this time the maxim he afterward 
printed as "Poor Richard's:" 

"Drive thy business; let not that drive thee." 



142 



Benjamin Franklin 



CHAPTER XII 



Correcting a *' Great Erratum' 



Benjamin Franklin had the modern news- 
paper spirit. Instead of drawing from the 
musty volumes of '' Chambers/' as his competi- 
tors did, for matter to fill his columns when there 
was no news, he wrote witty, gossipy letters from 
** Alice Addertongue,'* "Bob Brief," and others 
whose names remind the reader of the charac- 
ters in *'The School for Scandal.'' 

One week a letter appeared from a supposed 
'^Constant Reader" requesting "Mr. Printer:" 
"Pray, let the prettiest creature in this place 
know (by publishing this) that if it was not for 
her affectation she would be absolutely irresist- 
ible." 

The foxy publisher knew this would bring 
replies, and the next week's issue of the "Ga- 
zette" contained denials from six of the "pretti- 
est creatures" in town ! 

When no other device occurred to him, Ben- 

143 



The Story of Young 

jamin Franklin printed jokes against himself 
to amuse his readers. Once he tripped and fell 
into a tar barrel, and his account of the accident 
was full of puns, which had not then fallen into 
disrepute as ^ ' the lowest form of wit. ' ' Yet mere 
punning is not so obnoxious as the constant use 
of slang — repeating a pet word or phrase on all 
occasions — until it becomes pointless and ex- 
ceedingly tiresome. 

"A man without a wife is but half a man,'' 
said Franklin, as ''Poor Richard." Later he 
spoke of the unmarried man as "the odd half of 
a pair of scissors. ' ' After bujdng Meredith out, 
the young publisher, being twenty-four years 
old, began to think of marriage. He relates his 
experiences in his usual candid way: 

"I had hitherto continued to board with God- 
frey, who lived in part of my house with his wife 
and children, and had one side of the shop for 
his glazier's business, tho' he worked little, being 
always absorbed in mathematics. 

"Mrs. Godfrey projected a match for me with 
a relation's daughter, took opportunities of 
bringing us often together, till a serious court- 
ship on my part ensued, the girl being in herself 
very deserving. The old folks encouraged me by 

144 



Benjamin Franklin 

continual invitations to supper, and by leaving 
us together till at length it was time to explain. 
Mrs. Godfrey managed our little treaty. I let 
her know that I expected as much money with 
the girl as would pay off my remaining debt for 
the printing house, which I believe was not then 
above a hundred pounds ($500).'' 

The now foreign custom of requiring a dowry 
with the bride prevailed in the Philadelphia of 
Franklin's day. Mrs. Godfrey's relatives re- 
fused to consider the printer's proposal, "and 
therefore," said Franklin, "I was forbidden the 
house, and the daughter shut up. Whether this 
was a real change of sentiment, or only artifice, 
on a supposition of our being too far engaged in 
affection to retract, and therefore that we should 
steal a marriage (elope), which would leave them 
at liberty to give or withliold what they pleased, 
I know not ; but I suspected the latter, resented 
it, and went there no more. 

"Mrs. Godfrey brought me afterward some 
favorable accounts of their disposition, and 
would have drawn me on again ; but I declared 
absolutely my resolution to have nothing more 
to do with that family. This was resented by the 
Godfreys; we differed, and they removed, leav- 

145 

10 — Franklin. 



The Story of Young 

ing me the whole house, and I resolved to take 
no more inmates. 

*^But this affair turned my thoughts to mar- 
riage. A friendly correspondence, as neighbors 
and old acquaintances, had continued between 
me and Miss Read's family, who all had a re- 
gard for me from the time of my first lodging in 
their house. I was often invited there and con- 
sulted in their affairs, wherein I sometimes was 
of service. 

**Our mutual affection was revived, but there 
were now great objections to our union. The 
match (marriage of Miss Read to Rogers) was 
indeed looked upon as invalid (not binding), a 
preceding wife being said to be living in Eng- 
land; but this could not easily be proved, be- 
cause of the distance; and tho' there was a re- 
port of his death, it was not certain. Then, tho' 
it should be true, he had left many debts — which 
his successor might be called upon to pay. 

^*We ventured, however, over all these difficul- 
ties and I took her to wife, September 1, 1730. 
Thus I corrected that great erratum as well as 
I could." 

In his *' Autobiography'' he bore witness to 
the devotion of his faithful helpmeet : 

146 



Benjamin Franklin 

"Wc have an English proverb that says, 'He 
that would thrive must ask his wife.' It was 
lucky for me that I had one as much disposed to 
industry and frugality as myself. She assisted 
me cheerfully in my business, folding and 
stitching pamphlets, tending shop, purchas- 
ing old linen rags for the paper makers, etc., 
etc. 

"We kept no idle servants, our table was plain 
and simple, our furniture of the cheapest. For 
instance, my breakfast was, a long time, bread 
and milk (no tea), and I ate it out of a twopenny 
earthen porringer with a pewter spoon. But 
mark how luxury will enter families and make 
progress, in spite of principle : being called one 
morning to breakfast, I found it in a china bowl, 
with a spoon of silver! They had been bought 
for me, without my knowledge, by my wife, and 
had cost her the enormous sum of three-and- 
twenty shillings, for which she had no other ex- 
cuse or apology to make but that she thought her 
husband deserved a silver spoon and a china bowl 
as well as any of the neighbors. This was the 
first appearance of plate and china in our 
house." 

For the Junto young Franklin wrote, as a 

147 



The Story of Young 

tribute to his wife, a **song" of eight stanzas, 
from which here are two : 

**0f their Chloes and Phyllises poets 
may prate, 
I sing of my plain country Joan, 
These twelve years my wife, still the joy 
of my life — 
Blest day that I made her my own! 

*'Some faults have we all, and so has my 
Joan, 
But then they're exceedingly small; 
And now I'm grown used to them, so 
like my own, 
I scarcely can see them at all.'' 

Franklin relates in simple form how he came 
to found the first circulating library in America, 
and later the Philadelphia Library : 

"About this time, our club meeting, not at a 
tavern, but in a little room of Mr. Grace's (a 
member of the Jimto), set apart for that pur- 
pose, a proposition was made by me that since 
our books were often referred to in our disquisi- 
tions upon the queries, it might be convenient to 
us to have them altogether where we met, that 
upon occasion they might be consulted; and by 

148 



Benjamin Franklin 

thus clubbing our books to a common library, we 
should, while we liked to keep them together, 
have each of us the advantage of using the books 
of all the other members, which would be nearly 
as beneficial as if each owned the whole, 

'*It was liked and agreed to, and we filled one 
end of the room with such books as we could best 
spare. The number was not so great as we ex- 
pected; and tho' they had been of great use, yet 
some inconveniences occurring for want of due 
care of them, the collection, after about a year, 
was separated, and each took his books home 
again. 

**And now I set on foot my first project of a 
public nature, that for a subscription library. 
This was the mother of all the North American 
subscription libraries, now so numerous. It is 
become a great thing itself, and is continually 
increasing. These libraries have improved the 
general conversation of the Americans, made 
the common tradesmen and farmers as intelli- 
gent as most gentlemen from other countries, 
and perhaps contributed in some degree to the 
stand so generally made throughout the colonies 
in defense of their privileges." 

Franklin wrote these words before the Revo- 

149 



The Story of Young 

lution. A few years later he would have stated 
that the libraries had done much for the liberties 
of the country. Liher is the Latin for book — 
why should not books have much to do with 
liherty'^ 

About this time young Franklin spent much 
thought upon the proper course of life and con- 
densed a dozen rules of living, which remind one 
of the ^' Rules of Behaviour and Civility," which 
young George Washington copied and learned 
soon after this time, in a private school at Fred- 
ericksburg, Virginia. 

Temperance — Eat not to dullness; 
drink not to elevation. 

Silence — Speak not but what may 
benefit others or yourself ; avoid trifling 
conversation. 

Order — Let all things have their 
places; let each part of your business 
have its time. 

Resolution— Resolve to perform what 
you ought; perform without fail what 
you resolve. 

Frugality — Make no expense but to 
do good to others or yourself; that is, 
waste nothing. 

150 



Benjamin Franklin 

Industry — ^Lose no time; be always 
employed in something useful; cut ofE 
all unnecessary actions. 

Sincerity — Use no harmful deceit; 
think innocently and justly; and if you 
speak, speak accordingly. 

Justice — Wrong none by doing inju- 
ries, or omitting the benefits that are 
your duty. 

Moderation — Avoid extremes ; for- 
bear resenting injuries as much as you 
think they deserve. 

Cleanliness — Tolerate no uncleanness 
of body, clothes, or habitation. 

Tranquillity — Be not disturbed at 
trifles, or at accidents common or un- 
avoidable. 

Humility — Imitate Jesus and Soc- 
rates. 

In his anxiety to form habits of right think- 
ing and living, Franklin drew up a table of all 
these virtues and marked it every night accord- 
ing to his conduct for that day. 

He also laid out his work for the day as fol- 
lows: 

151 



The Story of Young 



Morning 
The Question. 
What good shall I do 
this day? 



Noon 



Rise, wash, and ad- 
dress P ow erf ul 
Goodness! Contrive 
day's business, and 
take the resolution of 
the day ; prosecute 
the present study, 
and breakfast. 



Work. 



8 

9 

10 
11 

j2 1 Read, or look over 
^ j-my accounts, and 



J dine. 



Atterngon 



Work. 



Evening 
The Question. \ 
What good have I 
done to-day? 



Put things in their 
places. Supper. 
Music or diversion, 
or conversation. Ex- 
amination of the day. 



Night 



Sleep. 



Benjamin Franklin 

Of this daily schedule he wrote : 

**I entered upon the execution of this plan for 
self-examination, and continued it, with occa- 
sional intermission, for some time. I was sur- 
prised to find myself so much fuller of faults 
than I had imagined ; but I had the satisfaction 
of seeing them diminish/^ 



CHAPTER XIII 



"Poor Richaed 



11 



When Mrs. Godfrey departed from the house 
of young Franklin in deep resentment, because 
he refused to be "drawn on again'' to play his 
part in her little matrimonial scheme, she took 
her husband with her. Bad as it was to be de- 
prived of a good housekeeper, the loss of the 
man meant even more to the aspiring younig 
publisher. For Thomas Godfrey was a "philo- 
math," who calculated times and seasons, moon 
changes, and eclipses of all kinds for the al- 
manac which, until then, had been published by 

153 



The Story of Young 

"B. Franklin and H. Meredith." Thomas duti- 
fully took part in his wife's quarrel, shared in 
her wrath, and took away his almanac for Brad- 
ford to print. 

The almanac was an ever-present book of ref- 
erence in the Colonial household. It stood next 
to the Bible in importance, as it seemed to give a 
certain direction from above to the affairs of 
every-day life. Hanging near the fireplace, it 
was consulted and discussed by all the family 
old enough to read and understand. It took the 
place of the present-day magazine and calendar 
— often that of the modern newspaper. Current 
notes and family data were written, month by 
month, on the margins of its precious pages, 
making it the household record, which, being pre- 
served year after year for generations, became 
the family history. 

Therefore, whether people could afford to have 
*^The Pilgrim's Progress" or not, they felt that 
they must own an almanac. If they did not pos- 
sess the necessary sixpence in money, for money 
was scarce in those days when women went 
* * trading, ' ' instead of * ' shopping, ' ' for household 
necessities, it was bought with stockings or mit- 
tens, or, in the absence of home-knit articles, the 

154 



Benjamin Franklin 

copper teakettle was sometimes sacrificed to pro- 
cure the important annual. 

For the printer it furnished a good kind of 
typesetting to keep at hand when other work was 
slack. Therefore the loss of Thomas Godfrey, 
glazier and philomath, was a serious blow to the 
ambitions of the rising publisher. It would have 
been well-nigh fatal if Benjamin Franklin had 
not been a young man of ready resources. At 
seventeen he had created the character of ^^ Si- 
lence Dogood" for the purpose of making his 
brother's newspaper more readable, and, during 
the ten years that followed, he had consistently 
assumed a number of characters over such pen- 
names as ^'The Busy Body," *' Anthony After- 
wit," and so on. In that way he had passed 
through a period of preparation for his next 
step, which, though taken to meet a business 
emergency, proved even more important than his 
greatest discovery and most useful invention — 
the creation of *'Poor Richard." 

When he first went to school, Benjamin was 
lacking in arithmetic, but while he was work- 
ing as his brother's apprentice he studied by 
himself to remedy that defect. So successful had 
he been that he now attempted the most difficult 

155 



The Story of Young 

astronomical calculations for an almanac which 
he proposed to print. Why not? Of course it 
would not do to publish it as his own work. He 
had found that such things have much more 
weight when printed in the name of an unknown 
writer. So young Franklin decided to be his 
own philomath, but over another name. 

What should the name be ? There had been a 
successful English almanac maker in the preced- 
ing century, Richard Saunder or Saunders, 
whose name Franklin decided to use instead of 
his own. There was no deception in that, for 
those who had heard about Richard Saunders 
would know that he had been dead a long time. 
It is argued that Franklin's ideas were not origi- 
nal because he assumed the name of a former 
philomath. But that would be like saying 
Shakespeare's ^'Hamlet" and "Richard the 
Third" were mere imitations because Prince 
Hamlet and King Richard had actually lived. 
The resemblance between young Franklin's 
almanac and that of the seventeenth century 
ceases with the name. 

Franklin used his advertising instinct in pro- 
moting his novel almanac. He knew human na- 
ture, and the disposition of his rival, Titan 

156 



Benjamin Franklin 

Leeds, so well that he touched him on a sore spot 
and set him in a towering rage which he vented 
on him in his almanacs. These were of long 
standing and wide circulation, and announced 
*^Poor Richard'' to all his own readers, who be- 
came interested at once to secure copies of 
Franklin's almanac to see what it all meant, and 
having some sense of humor, soon found them- 
selves laughing, with Franklin, at the weakness 
and want of sense manifested by his rival. 

Franklin, in revealing the character of Rich- 
ard Saunders, made him refer frankly to his 
poverty and signing himself **poor" — Whence his 
title, ^'Poor Richard." He treated the traits of 
his hero somewhat as Addison developed the 
charming character of Sir Roger de Coverley, 
only "Poor Richard" was Sir Roger translated 
from an English gentleman to the circumstances 
of the humblest people in colonial America. His 
first introduction to the Almanac of 1733, sug- 
gests the "Spectator" "reduced to its lowest 
terms:" 

* * Courteous Reader : 

"I might in this place attempt to gain 
thy favor by declaring that I write al- 
manacs with no other view than that of 
157 



# 



The Story of Young 

the public good, but in this I should not 
be sincere; and men are nowadays too 
wise to be deceived by pretenses, how 
specious soever. The plain truth of the 
matter is, I am excessive poor, and my 
wife, good woman, is, I tell her, exces- 
sive proud; she cannot bear, she says, 
to sit spinning in her shift of tow, while 
I do nothing but gaze at the stars ; and 
has threatened more than once to burn 
all my books and rattling traps (as she 
calls my instruments) if I do not make 
some profitable use of them for the good 
of my family. The printer has offered 
me some considerable share of the 
profits, and I have thus begun to comply 
with my dame's desire.'' 

Then Franklin turned his attention to Titan 
Leeds, his rival philomath. Assuming a patron- 
izing tone, he professes great friendship for his 
competitor, as though he, Richard Saunders, had 
been kept from writing almanacs for years for 
fear of interfering with Leeds's business. But 
now that Titan is to remain on earth so short a 
time ^'Poor Richard's" scruples are at an end. 
Then he goes on to predict the death of 
Titan Leeds, in true almanac fashion. Why 
should not an up-to-date star-gazer be able 

158 



Benjamin Franklin 

to do this as accurately as the ordinary almanac 
maker to prophesy months ahead the state of 
the weather? Of the sudden death of his chief 
competitor, ^'Poor Richard" wrote: 

**He dies by my calculation, made at his re- 
quest, October 17, 1733, 3 ho., 29m., P. M., at the 
very instant of the <? of O and ^ . By his own 
calculation he will survive until the 26th of the 
same month. 

**This small difference between us we have dis- 
puted whenever we have met these nine years 
past ; but at length he is inclinable to agree with 
my judgment. Which of us is most exact, a little 
time will now determine." 

Just ^s calendars and year books appear a few 
months in advance nowadays, so the quaint al- 
manacs of two hundred years ago were some- 
times published by September or October of the 
year before. The new almanac, for 1733, was 
delayed and did not appear until December, 
1732, several months late. Of course, the pre- 
diction concerning Leeds made a great sensation 
and occasioned no little nervousness on the part 
of the man the exact hour of whose death had 
been so boldly prophesied. It was strange that 
Titan's friends did not tell him his rival was 

159 



The Story of Young 

making game of him. Perhaps they did, but 
the man seemed to think it was an unholy sub- 
ject to joke about, and his indignation got the 
better of his sense of humor, if he had any. But, 
though he had nearly a year to reflect, Leeds 
devoted the introduction to his own almanac for 
the year 1734 to a reply to what he considered 
an outrageous attack upon himself, dated the 
very hour he was to have died, according to 
Franklin's reckoning. 

*' Kind Reader: 

** Perhaps it may be expected that I 
should say something concerning an 
almanac printed for the year 1733, said 
to be writ by Poor Richard, or Richard 
Saunders, who for want of other mat- 
ter, predicts my death to be the 17th 
of October, 1733. And this precise pre- 
dicter, who predicts to a minute, pro- 
poses to succeed me in writing of alma- 
nacs. But notwithstanding his false 
prediction, I have, by the mercy of God, 
lived to write a diary for the year 1734, 
and to publish the folly and ignorance 
of this presumptuous author. 

''Poor Richard, or Richard Saun- 
ders, was pleased to tell his readers: 
160 



Benjamin Franklin 

That hy my own calculation I shall sur- 
vive until the 26th, of the said month 
(October), which is as untrue as the 
former, for I do not pretend to that 
knowledge, altho^ he has usurpt the 
knowledge of the Almighty herein, and 
manifested himself a fool and a liar, 

*'And by the mercy of God I have 
lived to survive this conceited scrib- 
bler's day and minute whereon he has 
predicted my death ; and as I have sup- 
plied my country with almanacs for 
three seven years by past, to general 
satisfaction, so perhaps I may live to 
write when his performances are dead. 
Thus much from your annual friend, 
Titan Leeds, October 17, 1733, 3 ho, 
33 min, P. M." 

This reply was what Franklin had awaited, 
laughing in his sleeve, hoping for, only it was 
even more than he could have expected. It at- 
tracted everybody's attention to "Poor Rich- 
ard's Almanac," and made business very good 
for the printer of that humorous pamphlet. 

Franklin seems to have found out what Leeds 
was to publish in reply to his prediction of the 
year before, for he answers it in his preface to 
"Poor Richard's Almanac" for 1734, which ap- 

161 

Ji — Frankhn. 



The Story of Yomig 

peared about the same time as Leeds's abusive 
tirade : 

*^I had intended to be with him, in his 
last moments, to receive his last em- 
brace, to close his eyes, and do the duty 
of a friend in performing the last offices 
to the departed. 

"There is, however (and I cannot 
speak it without sorrow), there is the 
strongest probability that my dear 
friend is no more ; for there appears in 
his name, as I am assured, an almanac 
for the year 1734 ; in which I am treated 
in a very gross and unhandsome man- 
ner, in which I am called a false pre- 
dictor, an ignorant, a conceited scrib- 
bler, a fool and a liar. 

"Mr. Leeds was too well bred to use 
any man so indecently and so scurril- 
ously, and moreover his esteem and af- 
fection for me was extraordinary: so 
that it is to be feared that pamphlet 
may be only a contrivance of somebody 
or other who hopes, perhaps, to sell two 
or three years' almanacs still, by the 
sole force and virtue of Mr. Leeds' 
name. 

His valuable qualifications, with many 

others, so much endeared him to me, 

162 



Benjamin Franklin 

that although it should be so, that, con- 
trary to my prediction and his own, he 
might yet possibly be alive. Yet my 
loss of honor as a prognosticator can- 
not afford me so much mortification as 
his life, health and safety would give 
me joy and satisfaction. 
^^I am, 
** Courteous and kind reader, 
**Your poor friend and servant, 
"R. Saunders. '* 
"October 30, 1733.^' 

Could that chuckling young philomath have 
thought of this fulsome flattery when he put this 
maxim into a later almanac : 

**Here comes Glib-tongue, who can outflatter 
a dedication, and lie like ten epitaphs ?'' 

Whether he had his own proverbs in mind or 
not, "B. Franklin, Printer," did not forget that 
of the Wise Man, "A soft answer turneth away 
wrath. ' ' The rival almanac writer 's ^ ^ epitaphy ^ ' 
soothed the sore head and wounded heart of 
Leeds to such an extent that he adverted to 
"Poor Richard" in his almanac for 1735 in 
mollified language, but sneering at that worthy 
star-gazer ^s poverty as confessed by Franklin in 
the introduction to his almanac for 1734. 

163 



< The Story of Young 

The smiles and sneers of Leeds show how 
Franklin's humor must have been received by 
people in general. But he persisted, year by 
year, till he educated the popular mind into a 
state which has come to be known abroad as 
*' American humor." His work has perhaps 
been completed by Abraham Lincoln, who made 
the people understand that it is not improper for 
the President of the United States to see the 
bright, humorous side of the bitterest experi- 
ences in life. Franklin was too funny for his 
time. In the most solemn affairs he was sure to 
see the ludicrous and did not hesitate to express 
himself, on rare occasions, to the detriment of 
his own reputation. 

Franklin was as much ahead of his time in 
humor as he was in other respects. Like Lin- 
coln, he was a great story teller, and was often 
** reminded of a story" which would illustrate 
a point or clinch an argument. There is an 
odd anecdote about him, that shows how much he 
resembled Lincoln in this regard. Franklin did 
not approve of men being required to own a cer- 
tain amount of property before they could vote. 
He felt that it was then the money, not the man, 
that really did the voting. Here is the way he 

164 



Benjamin Franklin 

tried to prove the absurdity of a man having to 
be ** worth" ten pomids ($50) before he could 
have the right of suffrage: 

*'A man had a jackass worth ten pounds. 
While that jackass lived the man voted. After 
the jackass died the man could not vote again. 
Who was it that voted, then, the man or the jack- 
ass!" 

But it is their heart-humor that has made his 
maxims household words in a hundred languages 
and dialects all around the globe, and his thrift- 
proverbs have done more to make America what 
it is to-day than any other single agency. In his 
^* Autobiography" Franklin wrote of his anxiety 
to make his almanac benefit and educate the peo- 
ple along sensible lines : 

"Observing that it was generally read, scarce 
any neighborhood in the Province being without 
it, I considered it as a proper vehicle for convey- 
ing instruction among the common people who 
bought scarcely any other books; I therefore 
filled all the little spaces between the remarkable 
days in the calendar with proverbial sentences, 
chiefly such as inculcated industry and frugality 
as a means of procuring wealth and thereby se- 
curing virtue ; it being more difficult for a man 

165 



The Story of Young 

in want to act always honestly, as, to use here one 
of these proverbs, ^It is hard for an empty sack 
to stand upright/ " 

Franklin was careful not to claim to have orig- 
inated all the maxims of "Poor Richard.^' He 
stated once that "not a tenth part of this wis- 
dom was my own, but rather the gleanings I had 
made of all ages and nations. '' Yet he had, with 
his own bubbling wit and whimsical humor, con- 
densed the wisdom of the ages, with many a quip 
and twist and turn, and made them fit the life 
and speech of the American people. 

It is impossible, of course, to give one-tenth of 
* ' Poor Richard 's ' ' best maxims here. They have 
the peculiar Franklin "tang'* just as true "Lin- 
coln stories" are known by a certain heart- 
charm which is impossible to describe, yet easy 
to recognize: 

"Onions can make even heirs and widows 
weep.'* 

"Necessity has no law; I know some attorneys 
of the same.'* 

"Mary's mouth costs her nothing, for she 
never opens it but at others' expense." 

Many of Franklin's maxims were full of satire 
and reflections upon the assumptions and weak- 

166 



Bergamin Franklin 

nesses of men and women — like that about " ne- 
cessity '^ and " lawyers '* ** knowing no law.'' 
''Poor Richard's" maxims were more than 
merely humorous. The "Sayings of Poor 
Richard" have become so ingrained in the every- 
day talk of the world that few persons have any 
idea that the household words that come so 
"trippingly on the tongue" were first wiitten in 
their familiar form by a young Philadelphia 
printer nearly two hundred years ago. Here are 
only a few of those that have made America and 
the whole world richer, in more ways than one : 

"A penny saved is a penny earned." 

"Haste makes waste." 

"He that goes a-borrowing goes a- 
sorrowing." 

"God helps them that help them- 
selves." 

"Lost time is never found again." 

"A cat in gloves catches no mice." 

"Early to bed and early to rise, 
Makes a man healthy, wealthy and 
wise." 

"A word to the wise is enough.^ ^ 
167 



The Story of Young 

^*Poor Richard's Almanac, '^ so subtly and 
whimsically advertised at first, continued with 
matchless success for twenty-five years, jumped 
at once to the foremost place among the alma- 
nacs of the world, and left Leeds's yearly 
pamphlets far behind in the race. If Titan had 
fulfilled his own foolish prediction — to *'Live 
to write when his ('Poor Richard's') perform- 
ances are dead" — ^he would still be mooning 
around the world like the Wandering Jew, for 
**Poor Richard's" maxims are read and quoted 
to-day by millions, in many lands and languages, 
because of their deep human humor and the 
hearty common sense which makes for prosper- 
ity and happiness. But the almanac of Titan 
Leeds is known only to the few, as a curiosity, 
because of his blindness in calling his rival **a 
fool," "liar" and *^ conceited scribbler," who 
created ''Poor Richard," the first immortal char- 
acter in American fiction. 



168 



Benjamin Franklin 



CHAPTER XIV 



*'Mant Inventions" and the Doctor's Degrees 



It was not *^Poor Richard" who wrote ** Jack 
of all trades, master of none," for that saying 
was not true of Benjamin Franklin. Besides all 
his other achievements, Franklin's many discov- 
eries, inventions and improvements made him a 
world benefactor. The people of Philadelphia 
show many places of interest, saying: ''Here 
such a thing first happened," or ''Here such a 
thing was done for the first time," or "There 
that great enterprise was started;" and most of 
these affairs to which Philadelphia points with 
pride to-day were originated by Benjamin 
Franklin. Nearly all of the things he did had no 
connection with his own business, but were ex- 
pressions of his public spirit and kindness of 
heart. 

Franklin was the greatest example of the 
practical spirit of America. "What signifies 
philosophy," he asked, "that does not apply to 

169 



The Story of Young 

some use?'' He eared nothing for theories as 
such, but he took a lively interest in practice. 
Next to his thrift-maxims and his unceasing 
labors and influence in behalf of human liberty, 
his greatest benefit to mankind was what he 
called *Hhe Pennsylvania Fireplace," but which 
the people named "the Franklin Stove." For a 
thousand years people of the old world had 
warmed themselves by old-fashioned fireplaces, 
which were little better than the smoky fires in 
the wigwams of the American Indians. The only 
superiority in the white man's fireplace was that 
it was placed at one side and had a chimney. But 
the smoke did not always go up the chimney. In 
order to make it ascend they built large chim- 
neys, with capacious fireplaces taking up nearly 
the whole of one side of the room, and consum- 
ing an immense amount of wood from which 
most of the heat went up with the smoke, leav- 
ing the room cold except within a few feet of the 
fire. 

It is pleasant to read and think about the back- 
log and the cheerful blaze in the castles of the Old 
England and the mansions of New England or 
Old Virginia. But those lordly halls were as 
cold as barns. People accustomed to the com- 

170 



Benjamin Franklin 

forts of the modern home would find the draf ty, 
chill of ''mansions and palaces" very disagree- 
able indeed. Queen Victoria, in her spacious 
apartments in Windsor Castle, found it almost 
impossible to be as comfortable as the humblest 
day laborer in his cosy little cottage or tenement 
to-day. This great change was due to the inge- 
nuity and good will of young Franklin, for most 
of his discoveries and inventions were made be- 
fore he passed middle life. 

About the ** curing" of ''smoky chimneys," 
young Franklin wrote, "It is strange, methinks, 
that though chimneys have been for so long in 
use, the construction should be so little under- 
stood till lately that no workman pretended to 
make one which should carry off all smoke." 
The ''smoke nuisance" was not the only discom- 
fort of the old-fashioned fireplace, according to 
Franklin. It was likely to have only ' ' two warm 
seats, one in each corner; but they were some- 
times too hot to abide in, and the cold air so nips 
the backs and heels of those that sit before the 
fire that they have no comfort till either screens 
or settles are provided. A moderate quantity of 
wood on the fire, in so large a hearth, seems but 
little ; and in so strong and cold a draft, warms 

171 



The Story of Young 

but little; so that people are continually laying 
on more (wood). In short, it is next to impos- 
sible to warm a room with such a fireplace." 

The trouble with **such a fireplace'' was that 
the larger it was, and the better it carried off the 
smoke and heat the greater the draft created, 
and instead of throwing out warm air into the 
room, it drew in the cold air from outside and 
those sitting in front of the fire had "chills" in 
their backs even while the fire was hot enough to 
scorch their faces and hands. 

It is true that there was the German or Dutch 
stove, like a box or covered brazier, which 
smoked badly and, as Franklin said about them, 
"there is no sight of the fire, which in itself is a 
pleasant thing." He goes on, "I suppose our 
ancestors never thought of warming rooms to sit 
in ; all they purposed was to have a place to make 
a fire in, by which they might warm themselves 
when cold." 

In 1742 young Franklin devised the first stove 
consisting of iron sides, back and top, being open 
in front, like a fireplace. A flue was arranged in 
the back which connected with the chimney, car- 
ried off the smoke, while the heated sides, back 
and top of the stove, as well as the smoke-pipe 

172 



Benjamin Franklin 

itself, radiated Heat, warming the air in the room 
instead of being carried, in the form of fierce 
heat, up the chimney. This movable fireplace 
was made to burn short pieces of wood and small 
logs. It could be set up in or near the middle of 
the room, sending out heat on all sides and sav- 
ing a great deal of fuel. 

Franklin wrote in favor of the * * Pennsylvania 
Fireplace," "Your whole room is equally warm, 
so that people need not crowd so close round the 
fire, but may sit near the window, and have the 
benefit of the light for reading, writing, needle- 
work, etc. They may sit with comfort in any 
part of the room, which is a very considerable 
advantage in a large family. 

*'I suppose, taking a number of families to- 
gether, that two-thirds, or half the wood, at least, 
is saved. My common room, I know, is made 
twice as warm as it used to be, with a quarter of 
the wood I formerly consumed there.'' 

But all the pecuniary advantage Franklin 
gained from this world-wide invention was what 
he saved in fuel. He would accept nothing for 
his stove. Everybody could use his invention 
and welcome. He wished his stoves to be made as 
cheaply as possible, so that the poor might be 

173 



The Story of Young 

benefited and made comfortable by them. He 
wrote of it : 

*' Governor Thomas was so pleased with the 
construction of this stove that he offered to give 
me a patent for the sole vending of them for a 
term of years : but I declined it from a principle 
which has ever weighed with me on such occa- 
sions, namely, that, as we enjoy great advantages 
from the inventions of others, we should he glad 
of an opportunity to serve others hy any inven- 
tion of ours; and this we should do freely and 
generously." 

But a certain English hardware dealer was 
not actuated by such a noble motive. Franklin 
wrote of him, **An ironmonger in London, how- 
ever, making some small changes, which rather 
hurt its operation, got a patent for it there, and 
made, as I was told, a little fortune by it. And 
this is not the only instance of patents taken out 
for my inventions by others, tho' not always with 
the same success, which I never contested, as 
having no desire of profiting by patents myself, 
and hating disputes. The use of these fireplaces 
in very many houses, both of this and the neigh- 
boring colonies, has been, and is, a great saving 
of wood to the inhabitants." 

174 



Benjamin Franklin 

About thirty years later, Franklin modified 
and improved Ms stove, constructing the draft 
on the siphon principle so that the fire was made 
to draw downward, consuming its own smoke. 
This stove was far more ornamental than the 
Pennsylvania Fireplace, and was made to burn 
coal as well as wood. 

Another answer to the question about "smoky 
chimneys, '* was Franklin's circular draft lamp- 
burner, which he developed before Argand per- 
fected his famous lamp. In studying the move- 
ments of the air he worked out a theory of venti- 
lation within, and of the movements of wind and 
weather without. Applying the same theories to 
water, he developed the principle and mapped 
out the course of the Gulf Stream, which he in- 
vestigated and verified during his several voy- 
ages across the Atlantic. 

It has been shown how he improved the print- 
ing press, cast the first type in America, devised 
improvements and checks in copperplate engrav- 
ing. He also introduced stereotyping and mani- 
fold letter copying, worked out a system of 
shorthand and phonography, and started in to 
reform English spelling. He improved wind- 
mills, carriage wheels and water wheels, and con- 

175 



The Story of Young 

structed a clock with only three wheels, showing 
the hour, minute and second. 

He taught sailors how to keep provisions fresh 
at sea, studied ocean currents, improved the 
shape and rigging of ships, and recommended 
that the hulls be divided into air-tight compart- 
ments to prevent their sinking. 

He tested the power of ether to make one un- 
conscious of pain, and developed a theory of poi- 
son and disease in the air, akin to the present be- 
lief in germs, microbes or bacilli. He was 
greatly interested in balloons and, with others, 
constructed the most successful flying-machine 
for a hundred and fifty years. 

He completely altered the system of house 
roofing, built the first fireproof house, by cover- 
ing the wood with plaster, or a kind of concrete. 

His heart went out in kindness to man and 
beast. He took measures to prevent cruelty to 
animals, to treat even the Indians kindly, and 
founded an anti-slavery society. He improved 
watering troughs for animals as well as soup 
plates for men. He made bi-focal lenses for 
spectacles, invented a musical instrument called 
the **armonica/' and perfected an electrical ma- 
chine. ':- 

176 



Benjamin Franklin 

He founded a library, a college, a newspaper, 
a magazine, a philosophical society, a hospital, 
and a fire company, besides planning and organ- 
izing street cleaning and lighting, a police de- 
partment, sidewalks and crossings for Philadel- 
phia, and the first volunteer militia company for 
Pennsylvania. 

Of all his inventions Franklin wrote to a sci- 
entist-friend : 

"I have no private interest in the recep- 
tion of my inventions by the world, having never 
made, nor proposed to make the least profit by 
any of them." And concerning his discoveries 
he once wrote: *'I have never entered into any 
controversy in defense of my philosophical opin- 
ions. I leave them to take their chance in the 
world. If they are right, truth and experience 
will support them ; if wrong, they ought to be re- 
futed and rejected. Disputes are apt to sour 
one's temper and disturb one's quiet." 

In addition to this long list of inventions and 
innovations and many more, Benjamin Franklin 
was pronounced by Hume, the English historian, 
*Hhe first writer in America." Besides all this, 
he practically ** invented" American humor, and 
promulgated it in his day somewhat as Abraham 

177 

u — Franklin. 



The Story of Young 

Lincoln, a hundred years later, radiated it from 
the White House. 

But the one discovery, or experiment, which 
took the strongest hold upon the popular mind 
was his ** snatching the lightning from the 
clouds '* to prove that lightning and electricity 
are one and the same. He had perfected an elec- 
trical apparatus for the purpose of experiment- 
ing. He learned by experience that death by 
electricity should be painless, and therefore ad- 
vocated putting criminals to death by electrocu- 
tion instead of hanging. In this as in his belief 
in peace — "There never was a good war, or a 
bad peace,'' he made "Poor Richard'' say — ^he 
was so far in advance of his time that, in several 
vital questions, America has not "caught up" 
with Benjamin Franklin yet! He gave this ac- 
count of one of his electrical experiments : 

"Two nights ago, being about to kill a turkey 
by the shock from two large glass jars containing 
as much electrical fire as forty common phials, I 
inadvertently took the whole through my own 
arms and body, by receiving the fire from the 
united top with one hand, while the other held a 
chain connected with the outsides of both jars. 

"The company present (whose talking to me 

178 



Benjamin Franklin 

and to one another, I suppose, occasioned my 
inattention to what I was about) say that the 
flash was very great, and the crack as loud as a 
pistol; yet, my senses being instantly gone, I 
neither saw the one nor heard the other; nor did 
I feel the stroke on my hand. 

**I felt what I know not how well to describe — 
a universal blow throughout my whole body from 
head to foot, which seemed within as well as 
without ; after which the first thing I took notice 
of was a violent, quick shaking of my body, 
which gradually remitting, my sense as gradu- 
ally returned." 

Even after this dangerous, shocking experi- 
ence he could not help joking. As soon as he be- 
came conscious and saw what had happened, he 
exclaimed: "Well, I meant to kill a turkey, and 
instead I nearly killed a goose!'' 

Franklin believed that lightning and electric- 
ity are the same, years before he was able to 
prove it. There were many obstacles in his way, 
of which the worst was the bigoted antagonism 
of the people against any innovation upon the 
customs and thought of the ages. In these days 
of inventions every one is eager to see and test a 
new discovery, but this was not always so. In 

179 



The Story of Young 

the Middle Ages great inventors like those of 
to-day would, without doubt, have been burned 
at the stake, for presumption and witchcraft. 

It is related that two men who had constructed 
a successful flying-machine which landed near 
Lyons, France, centuries ago, narrowly escaped 
death at the hands of the frightened and mad- 
dened people for working magic. The story of 
Galileo's suffering, because of his theory that the 
earth moves around the sun, is well known. Gut- 
enberg, the inventor of printing, narrowly 
escaped death at the hands of an infuriated mob 
because the people, from the king and archbishop 
down, could not understand how the pages of the 
first printed Bibles could be exactly like the 
same pages in other Bibles, for they had always 
been done by hand. Gutenberg had great diffi- 
culty in convincing the crowd which gathered 
around his house that his printing press was not 
a magic contrivance and that all his Bibles were 
not printed by the devil I 

This violent opposition to anything new and 
strange was not confined to matters of religion 
or superstition. The first man to wear a silk or 
** stove-pipe '^ hat in the streets of London was 
mobbed by an enraged crowd, the offensive hat 

180 



Benjamin Franklin 

was destroyed, and the foolhardy wearer's 
clothes were torn to tatters so that he barely 
escaped with his life. 

Benjamin Franklin himself had observed and 
experienced the unreasoning rage of the neigh- 
bors against vaccination. Because the most dis- 
tinguished preacher in Boston, Cotton Mather, 
had adopted the (then) new theory of *' inocula- 
tion" to prevent smallpox, a hand grenade, or 
small bomb, was thrown into his study. Fortu- 
nately the minister saw the deadly missile in 
time to throw it out of the window before it ex- 
ploded, and saved his own life as well as of his 
family, and his house from being wrecked. 

Franklin's second son, little Francis, had died 
of smallpox. The story was circulated that the 
child had been vaccinated, and to allay the in- 
dignation that prevailed among the people, the 
father made the following announcement in 
the "Pennsylvania Gazette" for December 13, 
1736: 

"Understanding 'tis a current re- 
port that my son Francis, who died 
lately of smallpox, had it by inocula- 
tion, and being desired to satisfy the 
public in that particular, inasmuch as 
181 



The Story of Young 

some people are, by that report (joined 
with others of the like kind and per- 
haps equally groundless), deterred 
from having that operation performed 
on their children, I do hereby sin- 
cerely declare that he was not inocu- 
lated, but received the distemper in the 
common way of infection. 

**And I suppose the report could 
only arise from its being my known 
opinion that inoculation was a safe and 
beneficial practice, and from my hav- 
ing said among my acquaintance that I 
intended to have my child inoculated as 
soon as he should have recovered suf- 
ficient strength from a flux with which 
he had been long afflicted. 

"B. Franklin." 

Franklin had been prevented from attempt- 
ing to prove his theory about lightning and elec- 
tricity by the fact that there was no high hill or 
lofty tower in or near Philadelphia. In the 
Summer of 1752, however, he decided to reach 
the clouds by means of a kite made of thin silk 
instead of paper. He describes his own experi- 
ment in the form of directions to others : 
~ *'Make a small cross of two light strips of 

182 



Benjamin Franklin 

cedar, the arm so long as to reach to the four 
corners of a large, thin silk handkerchief when 
expanded. Tie the corners of the handkerchief 
to the extremities of the cross, so you have the 
body of a kite, which being properly accommo- 
dated with a tail, loop and string, will rise in the 
air like those made of paper ; but this being of 
silk is fitter to bear the wet and wind of a thun- 
dergust without tearing. To the top of the up- 
right stick of the cross is to be fixed a very 
sharp pointed wire, rising a foot or more above 
the wood. To the end of the twine next the hand 
is to be tied a silk ribbon, and where the silk and 
twine join, a key may be fastened. 

**This kite is to be raised when a thundergust 
seems to be coming on, and the person who holds 
the string must stand within a door or window, 
or under some cover, so that the silk ribbon may 
not be wet, and care must be taken that the 
twine does not touch the frame of the door or 
window. 

**As soon as any of the thunder clouds come 
over the kite the pointed wire will draw the elec- 
tric fire from them, and the kite with all the 
twine will be electrified, and the loose filaments 
of the twine will stand out every way, and be at- 

183 



The Story of Young 

tracted by an approaching finger. And when 
the rain has wetted the kite and twine so that it 
can conduct the electric fire freely, you will find 
it stream out plentifully from the key on the ap- 
proach of your knuckle. At this key the phial 
may be charged, and from electric fire thus ob- 
tained spirits may be kindled and all the other 
experiments be performed." 

Franklin had done as he directed others to do. 
He constructed his silk kite, with the aid of his 
elder son, William, ready for the next "thunder- 
gust, ' ' as they called a thunderstorm. In a short 
time a storm seemed to be brewing, and he and 
William set out together for the field or com- 
mon where they found shelter imder a cowshed 
to keep the silk ribbon dry at the lower end of 
the hemp twine. The kite darted about at first, 
but soon soared up among the gathering clouds. 

They watched it a long time, but there seemed 
to be no lightning. Just as they were about to 
give up and pull down the kite there was a flash 
of lightning, and the fine fibers of hemp in the 
kite string began to bristle and stand up like the 
hairs on the tail of an angry cat. Franklin knew 
what this meant, for it was exactly what he ex- 
pected. The dry silk ribbon which he held in his 

184 




THE FIBERS OF HEMP BEGAN TO BRISTLE. 



Benjamin Franklin 

hand was a non-conductor. Knowing that the 
big iron key tied at the lower end of the twine 
must be charged with electricity he placed his 
knuckle near it. 

The key responded with a snap, and a spark 
shot across into Franklin's finger, which felt the 
prick of pain caused by a slight electric shock. 
The father turned his eager face toward William 
and said, with a triumphant chuckle : 

**I knew it. Lightning is electricity! Bring 
me the bottle of spirits." 

"William lost no time in coming with the Ley- 
den jar and the lightning which had struck the 
point of the wire protruding from the end of the 
upright kite-stick up in the clouds was trans- 
ferred, in the form of electricity, and stored in 
that bottle. 

Benjamin and William Franklin went home 
with the queer kite and bottled lightning. The 
pointed wire suggested the lightning rod, which 
the philosopher soon turned to good account in 
protecting buildings, as the lightning which 
came near enough to strike a house or barn 
would be attracted to the rod and carried down 
into the ground by an iron ** conductor" as it 
had run down that kite string to the key. 

185 



The Story of Young 

Franklin related how he once received great 
benefit from his invention: 

^'My own house was one day attacked by 
lightning, which occasioned the neighbors to run 
in to give assistance in case of its being on fire. 
But no damage was done, and my family was 
only found a good deal frightened with the vio- 
lence of the explosion. 

*'Last year, my house being enlarged, the con- 
ductor was obliged to be taken down. I found, 
upon examination, that the pointed termination 
of copper had been almost entirely melted. Thus, 
in the course of time, this invention has proved 
of use to the author of it, and has added this per- 
sonal advantage to the pleasure he before re- 
ceived from having been useful to others." 

But while scientists and many others ap- 
proved of Franklin's experiments and lightning 
conductors, there were plenty of ignorant and 
superstitious people, including some ministers, 
who believed that Franklin was ^* flying in the 
face of Providence." An eminent Boston di- 
vine preached against Franklin as a blas- 
phemous meddler with affairs above human 
knowledge by thus tampering with the *' battery 
of heaven. ' ' When the city of Lisbon, Portugal, 

186 



Benjamin Franklin 

was destroyed by an earthquake and forty thou- 
sand lives were lost, in 1755, three years after 
Franklin's experiment, this minister declared 
that the awful catastrophe was a judgment from 
heaven upon Franklin's sacrilege, but he failed 
to explain why many earthquakes had happened 
before Franklin's day, or why such a calamity 
should have been visited upon a foreign city 
Franklin had never seen, and where few, if any, 
of its inhabitants had ever seen or heard of a 
lightning rod! 

The widespread interest in Franklin's proof 
of the sameness of lightning and electricity, and 
the success of his lightning rod, brought him 
many honors and degrees from colleges in 
America and Europe. 

Two hundred years after the birth of the son 
of the humble soap boiler of Boston, scientists, 
philosophers and wise men came from all parts 
of the civilized world to honor the memory of 
Benjamin Franklin. A colossal kite, made of 
many electric lights, from the frame of which 
hung a huge fiery key, was part of the elaborate 
illumination about the great City Hall of Phila- 
delphia in memory of Franklin's bringing light- 
ning down from the clouds and storing it in a 

187 



The Story of Young 

bottle to prove that it and electricity are one and 
the same. 



CHAPTER XV 



For Colony and Country 



"The first mistake in public business is going 
into it/' was one of *'Poor Richard's" sayings. 
If serving one 's country can be a mistake at any 
time, Benjamin Franklin made it when he ac- 
cepted the clerkship of the General Assembly 
of the Province of Pennsylvania, at the age of 
thirty. The next year, in 1737, he was appointed 
postmaster of Philadelphia. In spite of the 
cynical saying of *'Poor Richard" about serving 
the public, Franklin, late in life, referred with 
pride to the people's confidence in him in the 
early days when he was a modest postmaster. 
His public offices were turned to good account in 
making the ''Gazette" a better newspaper, and 
giving it a wider circulation increased the 
amount of advertising and combined to make 

188 



Benjamin Franklin 

his paper the most popular and profitable jour- 
nal in all the American colonies. 

While assistant and acting postmaster of Phil- 
adelphia Franklin began to improve the postal 
service, for he tried to better everything he 
touched. From being clerk of the Assembly he 
was elected a burgess or member of the House, 
and was re-elected to that honorable office ten 
times. In the city of his adoption he was made 
a justice of the peace, which was quite an honor 
in those days, besides being elected to common 
and select council, giving his earnest attention 
to the minutest details of the city's affairs. 

Within thirty years after he had run away 
from home, Benjamin Franklin was a famous 
and honored citizen. He went back and visited 
his old home in Boston at least once every ten 
years while his father and mother were living, 
proud and happy in all the good their youngest 
son was doing. James Franklin was still dis- 
gruntled and unsuccessful in business, so Benja- 
min returned good for evil by taking his 
brother's ten-year-old son back to Philadelphia, 
sending him to school, teaching him the printer's 
trade and setting him up in that business in 
Newport, Rhode Island. 

189 



The Story of Young 

After Josiah and Abiah Franklin died, tlieir 
youngest son erected to their memory a hand- 
some monument which is seen to-day near the 
old Park Street Church, Boston, with its fa- 
mous epitaph written by Benjamin, who held no 
grudge against any of his family for their harsh 
and unkind treatment of him in his boyhood 
days. In this he illustrated his own maxim, **A 
good example is the best sermon." 

History repeated itself in the Franklin fam- 
ily, as is proven by the following extract from a 
letter from Benjamin to his sister Jane, about 
William's attempt to run away to sea: 

"When boys see prizes brought in and quanti- 
ties of money shared among the men, and their 
gay living, it fills their heads with notions that 
half distract them, and puts them quite out of 
conceit with trades and the dull ways of getting 
money by working. 

"My only son left my house unknown to us all 
and got on board a privateer from whence I 
fetched him. No one imagined it was hard 
usage at home that made him do this. Every one 
that knows me thinks I am too indulgent a 
parent, as well as master." 

In 1743 Franklin wrote a learned paper en- 

190 



Benjamin Franklin 

titled "Proposals Relating to the Education of 
Youth in Pennsylvania. ' ' It included a plan for 
founding the Academy which grew to be the 
great University of Pennsylvania, of which its 
founder was a trustee in its earlier days. He 
was very candid and matter-of-fact in his ideas 
on educating and benefiting young people, as 
this, from his *' Autobiography," shows: 

*' Human felicity is produced not so much by 
great pieces of good fortune that seldom happen, 
as by little advantages that occur every day. 
Thus if you teach a poor young man to shave 
himself and keep his razor in order, you may 
contribute more to his life than giving him a 
thousand guineas. This sum may be soon spent, 
the regret only remaining of having foolishly 
consumed it. But in the other case he escapes 
the frequent vexation of waiting for barbers, 
and of their sometimes dirty fingers, offensive 
breath and dull razors. He shaves when most 
convenient to him and enjoys, daily the pleasure 
of its being done with a good instrument." 

There were threatenings of war between Eng- 
land and France over the long disputed question 
of territory in America. The French in Canada 
were fast enlisting the Indians on their side, and 

191 



The Story; of Young 

many of the savage tribes were bitter against the 
English. Franklin, as a special commissioner, 
had encountered some of them, showing that he 
believed in treating them kindly. Delegat^^s as- 
sembled at Albany, New York, to confer with 
chiefs of the Six Nations. Franklin was one of 
four commissioners appointed by Governor 
Hamilton of Pennsylvania. Besides the Indian 
question there was great need of all the colonies 
uniting to protect themselves against their com- 
mon enemies whether white men or red. Frank- 
lin printed in the *' Pennsylvania Gazette '^ a 
crude picture of a serpent cut up into parts rep- 
resenting the different colonies, and under it was 
printed the legend, '^ Unite or Die." This design 
was used later on a colonial flag. 

The year before the Albany conference, on the 
death of the postmaster-general for the colonies, 
Franklin received the appointment of assistant 
postmaster-general. This made it necessary for 
him to travel about among the colonies, to all the 
post offices from New England to Georgia — 
seventy-five in number. Of course, his personal 
contact with the people in this official capacity 
made him the best known man in the colonies. 
Being the soul of kind-hearted courtesy^ and good 

192 



Benjamin Franklin 

humor, Franklin was beloved as well as re- 
spected wherever he went, and by personal inter- 
course he followed up the liberty-loving instruc- 
tion he was still giving the people in ''Poor 
Richard's Almanac." 

Franklin improved the postal service, making 
it far more useful to the people, and, at the same 
time, yield a good revenue to the English crown. 
The colonial post offices had always been a bill 
of expense to the government until Franklin 
took charge of them. He also increased the fre- 
quency of the mails, especially between Phila- 
delphia and New York. He introduced a "stage 
wagon" to run back and forth over that ninety 
miles as often as once a week whether there was 
any mail to carry between those two cities or not I 
Before this time the mail had been carried by in- 
capable men on old, jaded horses. The mail car- 
riers were appointed because they were old, or 
had nothing better to do. They consulted their 
0T\Ti convenience, starting out when they thought 
it worth while, and coming back when they hap- 
pened to get ready. So, when Franklin's once- 
a-week "fast mail" service was inaugurated 
there were slow-going people who shook their 
heads doubtfully. They felt that the new post- 
193 

1$ — Franklin. 



The Story of Young 

master-general had set a pace which it would be 
impossible to hold out long ! 

In England such colonial enterprise seemed 
wholly unnecessary. The ministry of the Mother 
Country regarded the colonies with contempt. 
They had no use for their American cousins but 
as buyers of English manufactures, and to 
raise tobacco for English use. On one occasion 
a number of Virginia planters petitioned for 
money to build a college in their colony, giving 
as a reason for this that *' Virginians have 
souls.*' The English attorney-general for the 
colonies had no patience with such sentimental 
nonsense. **0 hang your souls!'' said he. ''Go 
raise tobacco!'' 

The colonial people were loyal to *'the Old 
Country." They bought their clothing, furni- 
ture, farming implements — all manufactured 
goods — from England, and those who were able 
sent their sons there to be educated. 

About this time a youth named George Wash- 
ington went on a hazardous errand from the cap- 
ital of Virginia to the Ohio region to serve a 
'* notice to quit" on the French military com- 
mander. That youth saw a place to build a fort 
at the fork of the Allegheny and Monongahela 

194 



Benjamin Franklin 

rivers. The Governor of Virginia sent men to 
erect a fort, and notified the Governors of the 
other colonies to send men and provisions for the 
common defense. Young Major Washington 
was detailed to aid in this work and protect the 
men who were building the fort. Before he 
reached the place he encountered a body of 
French and struck the first blow of the Seven 
Years' War which involved England and 
France. 

The American part of that long conflict is 
called the French and Indian War. The colonies 
came slowly to the defense of the frontier, while 
the ministry of England was sending out troops 
under General Braddock to fight the French 
and Indians. Franklin was selected to raise 
men, wagons and provisions to aid the Eng- 
lish soldiery. This was a very difficult task, for, 
aside from the aversion of the discontented peo- 
ple risking their lives and property on behalf of 
a government that treated them so outrageously, 
large numbers of the wealthy and influential 
population of Pennsylvania were Friends, or 
Quakers, who did not believe in war or even in 
resisting the overbearing treatment of the Eng- 
lish or the murderous attacks of the Indians. 

195 



The Story of Young 

In order to soothe the ill-feeling against the 
Quakers and incline the people to combine in 
self-defense, Franklin wrote a witty pamphlet 
on the subject, of which this is a short ex- 
tract : 

" 'For my part,' says A, 'I am no coward; but 
hang me if I fight to save the Quakers. ' 

*' 'That is to say,' B replied, 'you will not 
pump the sinking ship, because it will save the 
rats as well as yourselves.' 

"O, my friends, the glory of serving and sav- 
ing others is superior to the advantage of being 
served and secured. Let us resolutely and gen- 
erously unite in our country's cause, in which to 
die is the sweetest of all deaths ; and may the God 
of armies bless our honest endeavors!" 

In order to raise the necessary number of 
horses and wagons for Braddock's "regulars," 
and the colonial companies, Franklin had to hold 
himself responsible, paying over six thousand 
dollars of his own money to the farmers and 
other owners. Most of the money he had great 
difficulty in collecting from the British govern- 
ment, to which he was still so loyal, and some of 
it he never received. 

When General Braddock was ready Franklin 

196 



Benjamin Franklin 

came to his aid with one hundred and fifty four- 
horse wagons and two hundred and fifty-nine 
pack horses, which he had been able to gather to- 
gether, by using his own money freely, in twenty 
days. Braddock invited Franklin to dine with 
him every day, and told the philosopher what he 
proj^osed to do. Franklin tried to prepare the 
English general for Indian warfare, but Brad- 
dock smiled patronizingly and replied: 

*^ These savages may indeed be a formidable 
enemy to your raw American militia. But upon 
the king's regular and disciplined troops it is 
impossible that they should make any impres- 
sion." 

Franldin saw, as young Washington, one of 
General Bradock's aides, also observed, that it 
was useless to argue further with the obstinate, 
opinionated British general. They both warned 
Braddock against falling into an ambush, but 
nothing could make any impression on his con- 
ceit, and he and his "regulars" were surprised 
and shot down like so many helpless cattle. 
Braddock, mortally wounded, expressed his dy- 
ing regret that he had been so foolish, but the 
lesson was lost on the English king and his ad- 
visers. 

197 



The Story of Young 

After the defeat of the British under Brad- 
dock the Indians, becoming bolder, carried on 
the warfare in Pennsylvania, murdering and 
scalping men and carrying away women and 
children into captivity. The peaceful Moravian 
village of Gnadenhutten, near Bethlehem, was 
destroyed and great fear spread to Philadel- 
phia. 

A force of five hundred men was raised, and 
Benjamin Franklin appointed general, though 
he thought himself unfit for a military career. 
He set out, with his son William as aide, and ar- 
ranged to defend that region against the sav- 
ages He succeeded in his undertaking, but 
while he was absent from Philadelphia a violent 
quarrel arose in the Assembly, and General 
Franklin was needed to restore order. 

Leaving Colonel Clapham in charge, Franklin 
hurried back to Philadelphia to *'pour oil on the 
troubled waters." The soldiers under Clapham 
went skating, like a lot of schoolboys, one cold 
November day, on the Lehigh River. The In- 
dians, watching their chance, rushed in, like a 
pack of fierce, hungry wolves, took possession of 
the fort and massacred the small garrison left in 
charge. The Indians plundered the fort and 

198 



Benjamin Franklin 

oth^r buildings, and laid Gnadenhutten again in 
ashes. 

The skaters took refuge in the woods, where 
they were pursued by the Indians. Many white 
men were murdered, and those who escaped the 
tomahawk and scalping knife starved and froze 
to death in the bitter cold winter weather. Al- 
though Franklin did not consider himself a sol- 
dier, he did his duty far better than some who 
believed they had greater military skill. Be- 
tween those Indian massacres and the quarrels 
in the councils of the white men, Braddock's 
disastrous defeat left Pennsylvania in a very 
bad condition. 



CHAPTER XVI 



Pennsylvania's Agent in England 



The struggle with the '^proprietaries," as the 
descendants of William Penn, the proprietors of 
Pennsylvania, were called, was more lasting 
and heartless than that with the Indians. Sev- 
enty-five years before this William Penn had re- 

199 



The Story of Young 

ceived from Charles the Second a royal grant of 
the Province of Pennsylvania. He founded 
Philadelphia, treated the Indians with kindness, 
and led a life of noble philanthropy and self- 
denial. He died in England in 1718, leaving the 
vast estate of Pennsylvania to his sons. Penn's 
descendants had no such lofty ideas about their 
property in America. Their only anxiety was to 
get as much money out of it as possible. Even 
in their day Pennsylvania was considered worth 
fifty million dollars to the Penn family. 

When the English government began to tax the 
colonies to pay for the Seven Years' War in Eu- 
rope, the people objected, for the colonists had 
been to great expense in their own defense. The 
discontent was made worse, in Pennsylvania 
especially, by the fact that the taxes on great 
tracts of territory still belonging to the Penns 
were not paid by that family, who claimed to be 
free from taxation, and refused to bear their 
share of England's war debts. 

The troubles with the British crown and the 
owners of Pennsylvania, on account of unjust 
taxation, resulted in the sending of Benjamin 
Franklin to England to represent the interests 
of the people of the Province. 

200 



Benjamin Franklin 

Before sailing for England Franklin made 
one more visit to win back the Indians. While 
absent on this long trip he wrote this to his 
wife: 

**I had a good mind not to write to you by this 
opportunity, but I never can be ill-natured 
enough even when there is most occasion. I 
think I won't tell you that we are well, and that 
we expect to return about the middle of the week, 
nor will I send you a word of news; that's poz 
(positive). My duty to mother, love to the chil- 
dren, and to Miss Betsy and Gracie. I am your 
loving husband. 

"P. S. I have scratched out the loving words, 
being writ in haste by mistake, when I forgot I 
was angry." 

In those days a voyage to Europe was the un- 
dertaking of a lifetime. At this time there were 
pirates, privateers and men-of-war sailing the 
seas and likely to pounce upon any craft for 
plunder, or for political reasons. On the 4th of 
April, 1757, Franklin, with his son William, set 
out from Philadelphia. Several friends went 
with them as far as Trenton, New Jersey. They 
were delayed in reaching New York until Mon- 
day noon. 

201 



The Story of Young 

Franklin was afraid their ship had sailed, but 
he was pleased, on his arrival in New York, to 
see it still waiting. There was no need of 
anxiety, for the father and son waited eleven 
weeks before Lord Loudoun, military com- 
mander for the colonies, gave permission for the 
captain to sail down the harbor. Six weeks 
longer that waiting ship rode at anchor in the 
lower bay. During seventeen weary weeks of 
waiting Franklin and his party ate up, for the 
third time, the provisions they had laid in 
for the voyage, but Franklin made no com- 
plaint. He always made the best of such ex- 
periences. 

At last the signal for sailing, under sealed or- 
ders, was given. After five days the captain was 
permitted to open his letter of instructions and 
detach his ship from the fleet of ninety vessels 
they were with, then on its way to attack the 
French at Louisburg, Nova Scotia. At that time 
there was not a single lighthouse on the coast of 
North America. It was a tedious, stormy pass- 
age, but they finally arrived at Falmouth, Eng- 
land on a Sunday morning. Franklin wrote 
home: 

^*The bell ringing for church, we went thither 

202 



Benjamin Franklin 

immediately, and with hearts full of gratitude 
returned sincere thanks to God for the mercies 
we had received. 

**If I were a devout Churchman, perhaps I 
should, on this occasion, vow to build a chapel 
to some saint. But as I am not, if I were to vow 
at all it should be to build a ligJithouse," 

On reaching London Franklin took lodgings 
in the house of Mrs. Stevenson, 7 Craven Street, 
Strand. He and his son each had a body servant, 
and they maintained a carriage, as they thought 
it necessary to keep up a certain show of quiet 
elegance in order to be presentable at the offices 
of the king's ministers and the homes of the 
Penns. The haughty proprietors received 
Franklin coldly and treated him with insulting 
disdain. He presented a brief statement of the 
views of the Pennsylvania Assembly. 

This document was a clear statement of the 
case, couched in the most respectful language, 
but the proprietaries declared that it was vague 
and disrespectful. Finding that the Penns were 
not disposed to be just or reasonable the provin- 
cial agent turned to the Lords of Trade, and the 
members of the King's Council. He found the 
old king, George the Second, more approachable 

203 



The Story of Young 

and more ready to listen to reason than the 
haughty grandsons of "William Penn. 

It was next to impossible for a man without 
birth or social position to make much headway 
with the British government at that time. But 
Benjamin Franklin made the best of a difficult 
matter. He became acquainted with the lead- 
ing scientists, visited the University of Cam- 
bridge, took his son traveling in England and 
Scotland, and visited the villages in which their 
ancestors had lived. While they were in Scot- 
land, in 1769, the University of St. Andrew con- 
ferred upon Franklin the honorary degree of 
doctor of laws. 

Gradually, as the great men of England be- 
came acquainted with him. Dr. Franklin was a 
welcome guest in the salons of London, not 
merely as a philosopher and scientist, but as a 
wit and teller of humorous stories. The most 
distinguished men of letters crowded around 
him, and Hume, the great English historian, and 
Lord Kames, the famous philosopher and critic, 
became his intimate friends. 

Thus several years passed. While Franklin 
was making himself known in England, matters 
were going wrong in Pennsylvania. Just as he 

204 



Benjamin Franklin 

was starting on a trip to Ireland he received 
word that the proprietaries had succeeded in 
having an act of the Assembly repealed, which 
was yet to be passed upon by the English crown. 
Unpacking his saddle-bags he spent the summer 
in London to defeat the Penns, if possible. He 
did this by a rare diplomatic stroke, enlisting the 
sympathies of Lord Mansfield, and inducing the 
British Lords of Commission to reverse their 
own decision ; this left the act of the Pennsylva- 
nia Assembly standing as it had been passed by 
the people. 

This defeat enraged the proprietaries, and 
made it necessary for Mr. John Penn, a grand- 
son of William Penn, to go to Pennsylvania as 
its Governor, in order better to look after their 
interests in the Assembly of the Province, as 
they felt that previous Governors appointed by 
them had yielded too much to the wishes of the 
people. 

On the 25th of October, 1760, George the Sec- 
ond died, leaving the crown to his grandson, a 
stupid, freakish young man, with the beginnings 
of insanity, which had not come to be recognized, 
who reigned as George the Third. It is quite 
likely that if this young king had been a man of 

205 



The Story of Young 

sound sense and reason the War of the Revolu- 
tion against England would have been averted 
for many years. 

Young William Franklin was married in Lon- 
don in September, 1762. Lord Bute, then Eng- 
lish Prime Minister, as a favor to his friend Dr. 
Franklin, secured for the son an appointment as 
royal Governor of New Jersey. 

Franklin, finding that he could make no fur- 
ther headway with the unreasonable young king 
prepared to return to America, where his pres- 
ence was sorely needed in Pennsylvania, as Mr. 
John Penn was soon to become Governor of that 
Province. 

The Pennsylvania agent reached Philadel- 
phia, after a delightfully smooth voyage of nine 
weeks. Of this he wrote to his friend Lord 
Kames, the Scotch author: 

"On the first day of November I arrived safe 
and well at my own home, after the absence of 
near six years ; found my wife and daughter well 
— the latter grown quite a woman, with many 
amiable accomplishments acquired in my ab- 
sence — and my friends as hearty and affection- 
ate as ever, with whom my house was filled for 
many days, to congratulate me on my return. I 

206 



Benjamin Franklin 

had been chosen yearly during my absence to 
represent the city of Philadelphia in our Pro- 
vincial Assembly ; and on my appearance in the 
House they voted me three thousand pounds 
sterling ($15,000) for my services in England, 
and their thanks delivered by the Speaker." 

Franklin returned the $15,000 to be used as 
should be deemed best for the benefit of the whole 
Province. 



CHAPTER XVII 



Ten More Years in England 



The weak but overbearing John Penn was an 
unhappy combination of fool and knave. To 
curry favor with the roughs and outlaws of 
Pennsylvania he appealed to their brutal pas- 
sions by offering a bounty for the scalps of In- 
dian men and women as if they were wild beasts. 
This was in glaring contrast with the way John's 
benevolent grandfather, William Penn, treated 
the natives. A gang of toughs, known as the 

207 



The Story of Young 

Paxtons, broke into a settlement of converted 
and peaceful Moravian Indians and murdered 
the men, women and children, with the apparent 
sanction of the despicable Governor. Combining 
this worst element with the bad men of his party 
who stood ready to knuckle and truckle to the 
powers that be, however corrupt, for office, 
money or social position, Governor Penn man- 
aged to defeat Franklin's election to the As- 
sembly by a narrow margin, though that patriot 
had been regularly re-elected to the House for 
many years. 

But Franklin's defeat proved a boomerang 
for the Penn family. The self-respecting citi- 
zens of the Province and members of the Assem- 
bly, drew up a petition against the outrageous 
conduct of the new proprietary Governor, and 
elected Benjamin Franklin to present it, in per- 
son, to the king. The affairs of state were in 
such bad shape that a special loan had to be 
raised to defray Dr. Franklin's expenses as 
agent for the Province a second time. The phi- 
losopher's resources and patriotism were equal 
to the occasion. This time he went alone, for his 
son, the Governor, was married and living at 
Burlington, New Jersey. 

208 



Benjamin Franklin 

This time Franklin had only twelve days to 
prepare for his long journey. He was to sail on 
a packet ship from Chester, on the Delaware, fif- 
teen miles below Philadelphia. To the jealous 
rage of Governor Penn, three hundred citizens 
of Philadelphia, escorted their delegate on horse- 
back to Chester, and saw him sail away. 

After a stormy passage of more than four- 
weeks, Franklin found himself again at Mrs. 
Stevenson's door, in Craven Street, London, 
There were other colonial agents in the metropo- 
lis, sent to protest against unjust British meas- 
ures for taxation of the American colonies. 
Grenville was now prime minister. Dr. Frank- 
lin and four other agents called on him to protest 
against the passage of the Stamp Act, but their 
remonstrances were in vain. Parliament passed 
it, making it a law, in 1765. The king signed it 
in with an angry scrawl which showed, as ob- 
served by some, that he was becoming insane. 

It was only a small sum of money that Eng- 
land hoped to raise from stamps which the col- 
onists were to stick upon legal documents, bills, 
receipts and the like. Young Americans to-day 
can remember when stamps were necessary for 
all sorts of documents to make them legal, yet 

209 

r4— Franklin, 



The Story of Young 

there was no complaint. But the Stamp Act 
was passed by the British Parliament impos- 
ing a tax upon American people who were not 
allowed to elect members to Parliament. That 
made all the difference in the world. It was 
the principle of "taxation without representa- 
tion'^ that the people considered unjust. To 
pay any tax, however small, would be wrong, 
as it would be an admission of England's right 
to levy such a tax. 

The great mistake that King George and his 
ministers made was in not finding out that the 
American farmers were more intelligent than 
the peasants of Europe. Franklin wrote to a 
friend : 

**I took every step in my power to prevent the 
passing of the Stamp Act. But the tide was too 
strong against us. The nation was provoked by 
American claims of legislative independence; 
and all parties joined in resolving, by this act, to 
settle the point." 

When he saw that the Stamp Act was sure to 
be passed by Parliament, Franklin wasted his 
energies in an attempt to have the government of 
Pennsylvania taken out of the hands of the arro- 
gant and ignorant Penn family and adminis- 

210 



Benjamin Franklin 

tered by the king and his ministers, like those of 
all the other Provinces. Although he failed in 
this, his second visit to England was, in other 
ways, a great success, for he became acquainted 
with William Pitt and Edmund Burke, and 
helped make them friendly to the American 
cause. 

When the Stamp Law had been passed the 
people of the American colonies resisted it. The 
keenest indignation prevailed, and the officers 
appointed to sell the stamps to the people were 
afraid for their lives. 

Within a few weeks after Pitt appeared in the 
House of Commons as the champion of Ameri- 
can rights. Dr. Franklin was summoned before 
that august body to answer many questions con- 
cerning the state of affairs in America, where 
the people were so thoroughly aroused that they 
refused to buy from England manufactures or 
anything else that could be dispensed with. This 
tended to make the manufacturers, merchants 
and mill hands all take sides with the offended 
colonies. Franklin took his stand in the pres- 
ence of the House of Commons, and answered 
one hundred and seventy-four questions asked 
him by different members of Parliament. Here 

211 



The Story of Young 

are several of the questions and answers, as 
afterward published : 

"61. Q. Don't you think cloth from 
England absolutely necessary to them 
(the colonists) ? 

"A. No, by no means absolutely 
necessary; with industry and good 
management they may very well sup- 
ply themselves with all they want. 

"62. Q. Will it not take a long while 
to establish that manufacture among 
them; and must they not in the mean- 
while suffer greatly? 

"A. I think not. They have made 
surprising progress already. And I am 
of opinion that before their old clothes 
are worn out they will have new ones 
of their own making. 

"173. Q. What used to be the pride 
of the Americans ? 

"A. To indulge in the fashions and 
manufactures of Great Britain. 

"174. Q. What is now their pride? 

"A. To wear their old clothes over 
again till they can make new ones.'' 

Never did a man show greater or more ready 
wisdom and shrewdness than Dr. Franklin did 
rhat day in answering, off-hand, the varied ques- 

212 



Benjamin Franklin 

tions of many of the keenest men in England. 
He did it with such serene frankness that even 
his bitterest foes could not help wondering at 
and admiring his coolness and the completeness 
of his information. 

The Rev. George Whitefield, one of the great- 
est preachers the world has ever seen, wrote of 
this event: 

''Our worthy friend, Dr. Franklin, has gained 
immortal honor by his behavior at the bar of the 
House (of Commons). The answer was always 
found equal, if not superior to his questioner. 
He stood unappalled, gave pleasure to his 
friends, and did honor to his country." 

Edmund Burke, one of the greatest and most 
eloquent men in England, wrote to a friend : 

''Franklin, as he stood before the bar of Par- 
liament, presented such an aspect of dignity and 
intellectual superiority as to remind me of a 
schoolmaster questioned by schoolboys.'' 

But perhaps the highest tribute to Franklin's 
genius and wisdom came from his royal enemy, 
George the Third, as he said to his ministers 
and court when he heard of the ready answers of 
the provincial agent, "That crafty American is 
more than a match for you all!" 

213 



The Story of Young 

Not alone in the halls of Parliament did *'that 
crafty American" prove himself an able antag- 
onist to the king, his ministers, and all the cring- 
ing court who left no stone unturned in their 
eager attempts to insult and discredit him in the 
eyes of the people of England. The truckling 
Governors of the various Provinces wrote home 
such ridiculous untruths about matters in 
America that it was impossible to get at the real 
state of affairs in the colonies. 

Some one, wishing to make the people inter- 
ested believe that there was no wool worth men- 
tioning in the colonies and that the fishery ques- 
tion was not worth discussing, wrote an absurd 
and misleading article for one of the London 
papers, evidently for the purpose of forcing 
Franklin to rebut it with an indignant denial. 
But instead of of showing annoyance, the philo- 
sophical agent paid the misinf ormant back in his 
own coin. He wrote to the editor: 

"Dear Sir: Do not let us suffer ourselves to 
be amused with such groundless objections. The 
very tails of the American sheep are so laden 
with wool that each has a little car or wagon on 
four little wheels to support it and keep it from 
trailing on the ground. Would they caulk their 

214 



Benjamin Franklin 

ships, would they even litter (bed) their horses 
with wool if it were not both plenty and cheap 1 

^'And yet all this is as certainly true as the ac- 
count, said to be from Quebec, in all the papers 
of last week, that the inhabitants of Canada are 
making preparations for a cod and whale fishery 
this * summer in the upper lakes. ' Ignorant peo- 
ple may object that the upper lakes are fresh, 
and that cods and whales are salt water fish, but 
let them know, sir, that cod, like other fish, when 
attacked by their enemies, fly into any water 
where they can be safest ; that whales, when they 
have a mind to eat cod, pursue them wherever 
they fly, and that the grand leap of the whale in 
the chase up the Falls of Niagara is esteemed hy 
all who have seen it as one of the finest spectacles 
in Nature!'' 

In these replies Franklin went only a little 
farther than the statements of the correspond- 
ents, thus discrediting them in the eyes of the 
readers of the London newspapers far more suc- 
cessfully than if he had lost his temper and in- 
dulged in scolding or abuse. The English 
people soon found that, while they did not al- 
ways understand what the American agent was 
driving at, he was a good-natured man, and "a 

215 



The Story of Young 

sad wag, don't you know." This in addition to 
the need the merchants, manufacturers, and mill 
hands felt of having American business, made 
the English people clamor for the repeal of the 
Stamp Act. 

The king and his ministers were therefore 
compelled to take back the unpopular Stamp law. 
The news of this came to the colonies just after 
the report of the examination of Dr. Franklin 
by the House of Commons. The American peo- 
ple, wild with joy, rang bells, built bonfires, and 
fired guns and cannons. Franklin's daughter, 
Sarah, wrote to her "honored papa," *'I never 
heard so much noise in my life. The very chil- 
dren seemed distracted." 

Feeling that his mission in England was now 
accomplished, Franklin wrote asking permission 
to come home. He was now over sixty, and he 
had lived too long away from his wife and chil- 
dren. His daughter was married meanwhile to 
a man named Richard Bache. His wife dreaded 
the sea voyage so much that she could not think 
of going to join her husband in England. But 
the Pennsylvania Assembly elected him agent 
for another year. His grandson, William 
Temple Franklin, came to complete his educa- 

216 



Benjamin Franklin 

tion and to comfort and help the lonely old phi- 
losopher. 

Partly to soothe the helpless wrath of the 
king for the repeal of the Stamp Act, Parlia- 
ment immediately passed the Declaratory Act, 
announcing the right of the British govern- 
ment to tax the colonies at pleasure. As the ob- 
stinate monarch was still dissatisfied, Parlia- 
ment passed another bill during the following 
year, 1767, laying a duty on glass, paints, paper, 
and tea. This raised an uproar in America. The 
Englishmen in authority seemed unable to un- 
derstand that it was the principle of taxation 
without having any say whether it should be paid 
or how much it should be, that the king's still 
loyal American subjects were opposing. 

Nothing could satisfy King George and his 
sei-vile courtiers but unreasoning obedience on 
the part of the American colonists. To enforce 
this he sent soldiers to Massachusetts and other 
colonies. All this only served to fan the fury of 
the people into a flame. 

Meanwhile some of the time-serving Gover- 
nors were sending to the ministry false reports 
of the conduct of the people and their leaders, 
for the purpose of inciting the king to send more 

217 



The Story; of Young 

soldiers and destroy all wlio refused to submit to 
any kind of treatment the officials of the crown 
chose to heap upon them. 

The burning resentment of the people burst 
out here and there in acts of violence, and made 
Franklin ^s task more and more difficult, but he 
combined marvelous serenity with the highest 
skill in diplomacy. No other man of his time 
could have performed his difficult task so well. 
He wrote humorous stories for the papers which 
the king's ministry wondered at and did not see 
that **that crafty American'' was laughing in 
his sleeve at them all the time. 

One day, while he was entertained at Lord Le 
Despenser's, some one said that the telling of 
great truths in the form of a fable was a lost art. 
Franklin asked for pen, ink and paper, and at 
once wrote the following : 

*'Once upon a time an eagle, scaling round a 
farmer's barn, and espying a hare, darted down 
upon him like a sunbeam, seized him in his claws, 
and remounted with him in the air. He soon 
found that he had a creature of more courage 
and strength than a hare, for which, notwith- 
standing the keenness of his eyesight, he had 
mistaken a cat. 

218 



Benjamin Franklin 

"The snarling and scrambling of the prey was 
very inconvenient, and, what was worse, she had 
disengaged herself from his talons, grasped his 
body with her four limbs so as to stop his breath, 
and seized fast hold of his throat with her teeth. 

** *Pray,^ said the eagle, 'let go your hold, and 
I will release you. ' 

<< *Yery fine,' said the cat, *I have no fancy to 
fall from this height and be crushed to death. 
You have taken me up, and you shall stoop and 
let me down. ' 

*'The eagle thought it necessary to stoop ac- 
cordingly." 

The coroment on Dr. Franklin's performance 
was that 'Hhe moral was so applicable to Eng- 
land and America that the fable was allowed to 
be original, and highly applauded." 

While living on in London, longing for home 
and deeply desirous of doing something to allay 
the fever of excitement on the American side, 
Franklin was shown some letters from Governor 
Hutchinson, of Massachusetts, misrepresenting 
the state of affairs in his Province to influence 
the prejudices of the king and his advisers. 
Franklin secured the permission of his friend to 
^end copies of these without signature to a friend 

219 



The Story of Young 

in America, in order that certain indiscreet lead- 
ers might be warned against the worst. The 
copies were printed and distributed in Massa- 
chusetts. It became known that they were 
written by Governor Hutchinson, and an indig- 
nant petition was drawn up, signed by many 
citizens, and sent to the king demanding the re- 
moval of this Governor as a traitor to his 
trust. 

Dr. Franklin had become entirely too popular 
in England to please the king and the Tories. 
Here, they thought, was a chance to crush him. 
He was arraigned before the Committee for Co- 
lonial Affairs to give reasons for the petition 
against Governor Hutchinson, for Franklin was 
now agent also for Massachusetts as well as for 
Georgia and New Jersey. To his surprise. Chief 
Solicitor Wedderburn had been retained to 
prosecute him as if he were a criminal. Four 
cabinet ministers were present and thirty-five 
members of the Privy Council. Lord North, the 
Prime Minister, and the Archbishop of Canter- 
bury were there to witness the humbling of their 
American enemy. Wedderburn accused Frank- 
lin of stealing the Hutchinson letters, and print- 
ing them for the sake of making money. The 

220 



Benjamin Franklin 

so-called judges so far forgot their dignity as to 
laugh boisterously while Wedderburn used abu- 
sive and insulting language, calling Franklin a 
thief and other hard names. Among the spec- 
tators stood a few of Franklin's friends, but they 
felt obliged to preserve a solemn silence. 

A historian has described Franklin's appear- 
ance during this trying ordeal : *'He stood at the 
edge of the recess formed by the chimney, with 
one elbow resting upon the mantel, and his cheek 
upon his hand. He was motionless as a statue, 
and had composed his features into such calm 
rigidity that not the movement of a muscle could 
be detected. 

**As usual, he was dressed simply but with 
great elegance. His costume, which was ad- 
mirably fitted to a form as perfect as Grecian 
sculptor ever chiseled, was of rich, figured silk 
velvet. In all that room there was not an indi- 
vidual who, in physical beauty, was the peer of 
Franklin. In all that room there was not an- 
other who, in intellectual greatness, could have 
met the trial so grandly." 

This ordeal was in strong contrast with that 
of Franklin's appearance before the House of 
Commons, and grandly as he met the questions 

221 



The Story of Young 

that day, his serene deportment in the presence 
of false accusation and gross abuse was even 
more magnificent. "He that is slow to anger is 
better than the mighty, and he that ruleth his 
spirit than he that taketh a city.'* 

Two or three days afterward he received a curt 
note dismissing him from his office as postmas- 
ter-general of the American colonies. Yet he 
was not crushed. He knew that much of the 
anger shown by the members of the king's party 
was because he had declined high positions which 
had been offered him as a bribe to turn him 
against his countrymen. But Benjamin Frank- 
lin could not, like his son, be corrupted with an 
office. When an official called on him in the 
name of the government of Great Britain to tell 
him that there was hardly an honor in the gift of 
the crown which he might not ask if he would but 
comply with the wishes of the ministry, Frank- 
lin replied: **The ministry, I am sure, would 
rather give me a place in a cart to Tyburn (to be 
hanged).'' 

The government was forced to repeal the law 
which levied duty on paint, paper and glass, 
leaving only the duty on tea. The retaining of 
this tax was like a taunt to the indignant colon- 

222 



Benjamin Franklin 

ists. They refused to receive the ships which 
came loaded with tea into their harbors. In 
Boston a band of men, disguised as Indians, 
boarded a tea ship and emptied the chests into 
the harbor. This was called ^'The Boston Tea 
Party.'' It was an angry defiance rather than 
a brave act. It brought about a bill in Parlia- 
ment closing the port of Boston. The other colo- 
nies came to the rescue and saved Boston from 
starving. The Boston Port Bill required the 
presence of more soldiers. This aggravated the 
colonists still more, and when King George sent 
to hire men of other countries, like the Hessians, 
to destroy his still loyal American subjects who 
were struggling only for their rights, the 
people's wrath knew no bounds. On their be- 
half William Pitt, Earl of Chatham, protested 
in an impassioned speech in Parliament in 
which he said : 

**If I were an American, as I am an English- 
man, while a foreign troop was landed in my 
country I would never lay down my arms — 
Never! Never! NEVER!" 

Franklin was able to distinguish between 
George the man and George the king, for, after 
all he had suffered at the hands of the king and 

223 



The Story of Young 

his ministers, he wrote of the private character 
of George the man : 

*'I can scarcely conceive a king of better dis- 
positions, of more exemplary virtues, or more 
truly desirous of promoting the welfare of his 
subjects." 

It is charitable to believe that the seeds of in- 
sanity were already sprouting in the brain of 
George the Third. Yet, with regard to his oppo- 
sition to paying any unjust tax, Franklin re- 
plied : 

*'I have some little property in America. I 
will freely spend nineteen shillings in the pound 
to defend my right of giving or refusing the 
other shilling. And after all, if I cannot defend 
that right, I can retire cheerfully with my little 
family into the boundless woods of America, 
which are sure to afford freedom and subsistence 
to any man who can bait a hook or pull a trig- 
ger." 

Franklin had now passed ten years on his sec- 
ond mission in England. This made sixteen 
years out of eighteen that he had been forced by 
his loyalty to be absent from his family. Once 
more he prepared for the home voyage. He had 
written to his wife that he could not endure the 

224 



Benjamin Franklin 

separation another year. He felt that Pennsyl- 
vania needed his aid and counsel. It was with a 
relieved and grateful heart that he was getting 
ready to go home to his wife, ''Debbj^/' and his 
daughter, "Sally," whom he had left a girl of 
twelve, but was now a matron with two children 
their grandfather had not seen. 

In the midst of his preparations he received 
word that his wife had died, in December, 1774, 
following a paralytic shock. After his pictures 
of the quiet life he could yet enjoy with his 
"dearest old Joan," and muse, philosophize and 
experiment to his heart's content, it was hard for 
him to go home and not find her there. He did 
not even come back to the same house, for Mrs. 
Franklin had built a new home on another street 
during her husband's ten-year absence. Three 
years before she died Franklin wrote tenderly of 
his wife : ' ' She proved a good and faithful help- 
mate ; we throve together and have ever mutually 
endeavored to make each other happy." 

One of his maxims, by "Poor Richard," was 
"A good wife lost is God's gift lost." 



225 

IS — Franklin. 



The Story of Young 



CHAPTER XVIII 



The Long War and Peace at Last 



While Dr. Franklin was sailing across the At- 
lantic on his way home, the war had "actually 
begun'' at Lexington and Concord. From Phila- 
delphia Franklin wrote to his friend Edmund 
Burke of the disgraceful stampede of the British 
regulars from Lexington back to Boston: 

** General Gage's troops made a most vigorous 
retreat — twenty miles in three hours ! — scarce to 
be paralleled in history. The feeble Americans, 
who pelted them all the way, could scarce keep 
up with them!" 

The humor of this description is better under- 
stood when it is remembered that the Tory au- 
thorities referred to the American "peasantry" 
as cowards who would fly before the regulars 
like so many sheep. Even Dr. Samuel Johnson, 
one of the greatest of Englishmen, said of the 
colonists : "The Americans are a race of convicts. 
They ought to be thankful for anything we can 

226 



Benjamin Franklin 

give them. I am willing to love all mankind ex- 
cept an American I ' ' 

Franklin had arrived home on the 5th of May, 
1775 — just in time to be elected a delegate to the 
Continental Congress assembling in the State 
House, now known as Independence Hall, on 
May 10th. One of the first acts of this Congress 
was to make Franklin postmaster-general of the 
colonies. 

Dr. Franklin was one of the leading spirits of 
the Congress, but some of those "most potent, 
grave and reverend seigniors" thought him too 
much imbued with a spirit of levity because he 
made fun of some of the measures they proposed. 
There were two parties in the Congress, those 
who were in favor of declaring for American in- 
dependence, and others, more careful, if not 
cowardlj^, who wished to petition the king again, 
but Franklin too well knew how vain that 
would be. 

When Charleston was burned by the British, 
Franklin said : 

"England has begun to bum our seaport 
towns, secure, I suppose, that we shall never be 
able to return the outrage in kind. She may, 
doubtless, destroy them all. 

227 



The Story of Young 

**But if she wishes to recover our commerce, 
are these the probable means? She must cer- 
tainly be distracted, for no tradesman out of 
Bedlam (a famous English insane asylum) ever 
thought of increasing the number of his custom- 
ers by knocking them in the head ; or of enabling 
them to pay their debts by burning their houses. ' ' 

He also wi'ote this now-famous letter to his 
English friend, Strahan, who was like Franklin, 
a printer and publisher: 

*'Mr. Strahan: 

^'You are a member of Parliament, 
and one of that majority which has 
doomed my country to destruction. 
You have begun to burn our towns and 
murder our people. Look upon your 
hands ! They are stained with the blood 
of your relations. You and I were long 
friends ; you are now my enemy, and 
**I am, 

"Yours, 

**B. Franklin." 

Franklin had lost his faithful wife and now he 
was losing his best friends. But harder than 
cither of these was the disloyalty of his son, 
William, the Governor of New Jersey, who had 

228 



Benjamin Franklin 

also become malignant in his opposition to the 
cause for which his father had risked his life and 
all that he possessed. The Congress had Will- 
iam Franklin arrested and removed to Con- 
necticut. At this time a newspaper printed the 
following report : 

^*Day before yesterday Governor Franklin, of 
New Jersey, passed through Hartford. Mr. 
Franklin is a noted tory and ministerial tool, and 
has been exceedingly busy in perplexing the 
cause of liberty, and in serving the designs of 
the British king and his ministers. 

*'He is son to Dr. Benjamin Franklin, the 
genius of the day, and the great patron of Ameri- 
can liberty. If His Excellency the Governor 
escapes the vengeance of the people, due to the 
enormity of his crimes, his redemption will fol- 
low, not from personal merit, but from the high 
esteem and veneration which the country enter- 
tains for his honored father. '^ 

After an imprisonment of twenty-eight 
months, William Franklin was exchanged, and 
pensioned by the British government for his un- 
tiring efforts to defeat his father's cause. Long 
after the defection of ** Billy," the father, still 
deeply hurt in heart, wrote : 

229 



The Story of Young 

** Nothing has ever affected me with such keen 
sensations, as to find myself deserted in my old 
age by my only son, and not only deserted, but to 
find him taking up arms in a cause wherein my 
good name, fortune and life were at stake." 

Franklin's faith and cheerful humor stood 
him and the other heroes of the Revolution in 
good stead in those crucial days, described by 
Thomas* Paine as *Hhe times that try men's 
souls." 

Remembering his success in raising wagons 
and supplies for Braddock's army he was put in 
charge of the same work in this war. All his 
ingenuity in invention came into play in plan- 
ning defenses for Philadelphia. 

Being one of three commissioners, Franklin 
visited Washington at Cambridge in October, 
1775, during the siege of Boston. One of the 
duties of this executive committee of three was 
to devise a flag for the Continental Army. Con- 
ferring with Washington, they decided upon 
thirteen red and white stripes, representing the 
thirteen British colonies, with the British union, 
the crosses of St. George and St. Andrew which 
still composed the English Union Jack. This 
banner showed that they were not fighting, as so 

230 



Benjamin Franklin 

many States, for independence, but were still 
thirteen loyal colonies struggliQg for their rights 
as British subjects. Franklin had made a study 
of heraldry and flag symbolism. It is believed 
that he advised Washington with regard to the 
circle of thirteen stars set in the blue field of the 
first United States flag, made by Betsy Ross, 
when the people were at last forced to fight for 
independence and separation from the Mother 
Country. 

Returning to Philadelphia Franklin was sent 
on a difficult mission to Canada, which proved 
unsuccessful. This undertaking was beset with 
hardships — too many and too heavy for a portly 
man of seventy afflicted with gout. But no en- 
terprise was too arduous or discouraging for the 
patriotic zeal of Benjamin Franklin. After his 
return he was appointed one of a committee of 
five to write the Declaration of Independence. 
As Franklin was the oldest man in the commit- 
tee the rest would have required him to make 
the first draft of that document. But he, with 
his customary modesty and acuteness of obser- 
vation, declared that young Thomas Jefferson 
should write out the Declaration, and the result 
proved the wisdom of their decision. 

231 



The Story of Young 

During the days of debating and signing that 
immortal document the solemnity of the great 
occasion was enlivened by Franklin's wit. The 
other signers caught the spirit and true Ameri- 
can humor and American independence were 
born at the same time. It was a solemn time. 
The doughty signers knew too well that this act 
might bring them one and all to the gallows. 
One of them said to the rest, '*Now we must all 
hang together. '^ Dr. Franklin retorted, with a 
funny twinkle, *'Yes, we must all hang together 
or, assuredly, we shall all hang — separately!*' 

Within two weeks after the signing of the 
Declaration of Independence, Franklin was 
chosen president of the convention to form a 
constitution for the State of Pennsylvania. Just 
after this he received a letter from his English 
friend, Lord Howe — with whose sister he had 
played chess while living in London — to arrange 
for a conference which might bring about a 
reconciliation between Mother England and her 
American daughter. 

**Long did I endeavor," he wrote to the Brit- 
ish admiral, **with unfeigned and unwearied 
zeal, to preserve from breaking that fine and 
noble china vase, the British Empire; for I 

232 



Benjamin Franklin 

knew that, once broken, the separate parts could 
not retain even their share of the strength or 
value that existed in the whole and that a per- 
fect reunion of the parts could scarce be hoped 
for.'^ 

The conference took place and Benjamin 
Franklin, John Adams and Edward Rutledge 
were forced to inform Lord Howe that the offers 
of peace had come too late. During the inter- 
view Lord Howe expressed a deep fraternal 
feeling for those who were fighting for their 
rights, saying : ^'If America should fail, I should 
feel and lament it like the loss of a brother.'' 

Dr. Franklin bowed low and said with a bland 
but meaning smile, *'we will do our utmost 
endeavor to spare your lordship that mortifica- 
tion!'' 

The story is told of a mysterious stranger, who 
came to Philadelphia and asked to deliver a 
secret message to a committee appointed by the 
Continental Congress. As he would explain 
nothing the committee was not appointed. The 
strange man came again with the same request, 
and then again. 

At last Congress appointed John Jay, Dr. 
Franklin and Thomas Jefferson to meet the 

233 



The Story of Young 

stranger. The committee went to the place re- 
quested and awaited in silence the coming of 
the unknown ambassador. Soon a man entered, 
dignified in manner and of military bearing. 

^*What is your mission?" they finally asked. 
The man replied, with a French accent : 

^*His most Christian Majesty, the king of 
France, has heard of your struggle in defense 
of your rights and for liberty. He has desired 
me to meet you as his representative, and to ex- 
press to you his respect and sympathy; also to 
say to you, in secrecy, that if the time comes 
when you need aid, his assistance will not be 
withlield." 

The committee expressed surprise. **What is 
the evidence of your authority?" 

By way of answer, the gentleman drew his 
hand across his throat, saying, ** Gentlemen, I 
shall take care of my head." 

^'But," said one of the three, "if what you 
say is true, we must secure the friendly action 
of our Congress." 

** Gentlemen," said the strange man again, re- 
peating the uncanny gesture, "I shall take care 
of my head." Then he added, earnestly: **If 
you want arms, you may have them ; if you want 

234 



Benjamin Franklin 

ammunition, you may have it; if you want 
money, you may have it. Gentlemen, I shall 
take care of my head.'^ 

After this strange incident the mysterious 
messenger disappeared from public sight. No 
one ever knew who he was, nor if he were really 
sent by the king of France. 

Dr. Franklin's scientific experiments and 
treatises had won him many friends in France. 
He had visited that country during his second 
mission to England, and was then presented at 
court. The French were also in sympathy with 
the American cause, both because of their good 
will toward American freedom and the ill will 
they bore their ancient enemies across the Eng- 
lish Channel. The old philosopher received a 
long letter from a scientific friend in France, 
which, read between the lines, revealed the fact 
that the French would welcome the opportunity 
of helping America if it could be done quietly 
enough to avoid a war with England. 

This letter came soon after the battle of Long 
Island, while Washington and his destitute 
army were in retreat, and pursued by the Brit- 
ish toward Philadelphia. The prospects were 
then most discouraging to the revolting colonies. 

235 



The Story of Young 

So this secret French offer of experienced sol- 
diers, guns and money brought joy to the hearts 
of the leaders in Congress, who resolved at once 
to send an embassy of the highest distinction to 
France. Dr. Franklin was unanimously elected 
on the first ballot. When the result of the voting 
was announced, the aged philosopher said to Dr. 
Rush, who sat next him : 

*'I am old and good for nothing. But as the 
storekeepers say of their remnants of cloth, I 
am *but a fag-end,' and you may have me *for 
what you please.' " 

Thomas Jefferson and Silas Deane, who was 
an agent already in Europe, were elected com- 
missioners to France. But, on account of the 
illness of his wife, Jefferson could not go, so 
Arthur Lee, also living in Europe, was chosen in 
his stead. 

Franklin embarked in the *' Reprisal," a fast 
sailing sloop of war carrying sixteen guns. He 
took with him his grandson, William Temple 
Franklin, son of William, the former Governor 
of New Jersey, a promising youth of eighteen, 
and Benjamin Franklin Bache, his daughter 
Sarah's son, a boy of seven. Young Temple 
Franklin did not side with his father, but alwavs 

236 



Benjamin Franklin 

remained loyal to his grandfather and the Amer- 
ican cause. 

Every precaution had been taken to keep 
Franklin's mission a secret. He said afterward 
that of all his eight voyages across the Atlantic, 
this was the most distressing. A fierce gale 
drove the little craft well across to its destina- 
tion. The aged ambassador, now corpulent and 
gouty, was compelled to keep to his cramped 
quarters. Several times they were pursued by 
British cruisers. Though instructed to keep 
from fighting and attend only to the safety of 
his precious passenger, Captain Wickes, of the 
*' Reprisal,'' captured two British brigs, rich 
with spoils of war, not far from the English 
Channel, and cast anchor in Quiberon Bay, near 
the mouth of the Loire. Dr. Franklin and his 
two grandsons took a carriage to the city of 
Nantes. The voyage was a quick one for that 
time, from October 26 to November 29, 1776. 

When the English learned that their old 
enemy had crossed the ocean and was safe in 
France they were astounded, but when they 
found that the little American sloop had not only 
escaped the British ships of war, but had also 
captured two English ships almost on their own 

237 



The Story of Young 

premises, they were provoked beyond measure. 

Silas Deane, one of Franklin's fellow-commis- 
sioners, joyously wrote from France : 

*'Here is the hero and philosopher and patriot 
— all united in this celebrated American, who, at 
the age of seventy-four, risks all dangers for his 
country.'^ 

Lord Stormont, the British minister, indig- 
nant at the ovations given to Franklin, notified 
the French court that if "that odious Ameri- 
can" were allowed to stay in Paris, he, as am- 
bassador of Great Britain, would withdraw. 
Franklin came and received the most enthusi- 
astic welcome — ^yet Stormont stayed! Not lik- 
ing to embarrass the friendly French, and har- 
boring no ill-feeling toward the British minister, 
Franklin took up his residence in the little town 
of Passy, then a few miles out of Paris (but now 
within the city limits), where a wealthy admirer 
named de Chaumont placed a small castle at his 
disposal. Here Franklin lived the nine years 
that he represented the American government 
in France. 

One day a huge ornamented cake came ad- 
dressed to *'Le Digne Franklin" ("the worthy 
Franklin"). Mr. Lee and Mr. Deane laugh- 

238 



Benjamin Franklin 

ingly objected because the French recognized 
no one but Franklin, and ignored the other two 
members of the committee. 

*'0n the contrary," retorted Franklin, "this 
cake is addressed to all three of us, only the 
French do not know how to spell English names. 
See ? *Le' (Lee), *Digne' (pronounced ^Deane') 
and * Franklin.' " 

The news from America was most discourag- 
ing, but Franklin made the best of everything. 
**It will be all right," he kept saying — or ''fa 
ira*' in French. His cheerful humor soon be- 
came proverbial. The people quoted Franklin's 
hopeful phrase and composed a revolutionary 
song with/' fa ira*' for its title and refrain. 

When a gloating Englishman called and told 
him General Howe had taken Philadelphia, the 
old philosopher answered sturdily, **I beg your 
pardon, sir — PhiladelpJiia has taken Howe!*' 
This, in a few months, proved true. Shortly 
after this the Americans in France received the 
glad news that the British general, Burgoyne, 
and all his army had surrendered at Saratoga. 

England was greatly alarmed and sent secret 
envoys to Franklin at Passy, lest the Americans 
should acknowledge allegiance to France. 

239 



The Stoiy of Young 

Everything the Americans demanded at first 
was now freely conceded. But Franklin and the 
others told them they were too late with their 
proposed concessions, for now the Americans 
would accept nothing short of independence and 
complete separation from Great Britain. 

On the 5th of February, 1778, the French 
court and the American commission signed the 
treaty of alliance which aided the struggling 
colonies and Washington's poor, starving little 
army to win the final victory at Yorktown, more 
than three years later. The French- American 
alliance was no longer a secret. The American 
envoys were publicly welcomed at the French 
court at Versailles. A historian has described 
the scene : 

** Franklin was richly dressed. His hair was 
carefully arranged by a French perruquier. He 
wore an admirably fitting suit of plain black 
velvet. Ruffles of elaborate embroidery and 
snowy whiteness adorned his wrists and bosom. 
White silk stocldngs aided in showing the per- 
fect proportions of his frame. Large silver 
buckles were on his shoes. No one could accuse 
him of failing in due respect for the king. His 
costume was superb, and was such as was then 

240 



Benjamin Franklin 

worn, on important occasions, by American gen- 
tlemen of the highest rank. 

**The audience took place at Versailles, on the 
morning of the 29th of March (1778). Each of 
the American envoys rode in his own carriage, 
attended by the usual retinue of servants. On 
the way they were cheered with the utmost en- 
thusiasm by the crowd. The king, Louis XYI, 
received them with extreme courtesy, and the 
queen, Marie Antoinette, was marked in her at- 
tentions to Franklin. 

*'Who can describe the exultation, the rap- 
ture, the tears with which these tidings were re- 
ceived by the patriots of America ^ On the 6th 
of May, General Washington drew up his little 
band at Valley Forge to announce the great 
event, and to offer God prayers and thanksgiv- 
ings." 

Franklin did as much in the courts of Europe 
as even Washington could do in the fields of 
America to achieve the independence of their be- 
loved country. 

When Lafayette returned to France from 
America, in 1779, he brought word that Benja- 
min Franklin had been appointed by Congress 
the one minister with full power from the new 

241 

i6 — Frankltn. 



The Story of Young 

government of the United States of America. 
There were rejoicings throughout the realm of 
France. The newly elected ambassador was 
presented at the French court with greater 
splendor, if possible, than before. So great was 
Franklin's popularity that it has been said that 
if he had been an angel from heaven or a visitor 
from Mars, he could hardly have been received 
with more devoted enthusiasm. Wherever he 
went, in the streets of Paris, he and his grand- 
sons were followed by admiring crowds. If he 
went into a theater the actors themselves joined 
with the audience in giving le grand Franklin 
a welcome. For once an American **set the 
fashions'' for Paris. Everything that could 
bear his name — ^hats, coats, gloves, canes, snuff 
boxes and the like — ^were styled a la Franklin. 
There was scarcely a house in the city which did 
not boast a Franklin stove or portrait. Poets 
addressed odes and sonnets to him. Women 
crowned him publicly with flowers and kissed 
him on the hands and cheeks. When Voltaire 
and Franklin kissed each other, the most dis- 
tinguished members of the Academy of the 
French *' immortals" went wild with joy. 
Among the scientists, philosophers and sa- 

242 



Benjamin Franklin 

vants of France Franklin was regarded with a 
respect bordering on reverence. He often met 
or corresponded with Montgolfier, the inventor 
of balloons, and with Dr. Guillotin, supposed to 
have invented the terrible machine for cutting 
off people's heads. But this was not true, nor 
did he die by the guillotine as is frequently 
stated. Dr. Guillotin was an eminent French 
physician who merely advised the use of the me- 
chanical contrivance which came to bear his 
name, because it was considered a humane way 
to put criminals to death. Franklin also corre- 
sponded with Dr. Mesmer, whose name lives in 
the word mesmerism, and many other men of re- 
nown whose names would fill a page. Chief 
among these was Baron Turgot, the famous 
financier and statesman who originated the Latin 
epigram about his friend Franklin, which has 
been translated into a number of forms of which 
perhaps the most familiar is, ^'He snatched the 
lightning from heaven and the scepter from 
tyrants." 

When the surrender of Lord Cornwallis to 
Washington's army at Yorktown, in October, 
1781, was reported to Lord North, Franklin's old 
enemy, still Prime Minister of England, he "re- 

243 



The Story of Young 

ceived the tidings as he would have taken a ball 
in his breast. He threw his arms apart. He 
paced wildly up and down the room, exclaiming 
from time to time, *0 God, it is all over!' " 

By this time nearly all England was clamoring 
for the king to stop the war with America. The 
king was forced to surrender to the English peo- 
ple as well as to the American armies. General 
Conway, the member of Parliament who had 
moved the repeal of the Stamp Act sixteen years 
before, also on the 28th of February, 1782, pre- 
sented as a motion in the House of Commons : 

^^ Resolved, That the reduction of the colonies 
by force of arms is impracticable." 

A violent debate followed this resolution. The 
rote was finally carried. This practically ended 
the war for American independence. The an- 
nouncement of the result was hailed with deaf- 
ening applause in the House. 

Though it was late at night when this virtual 
order was passed, they were immediately pre- 
sented to the king. George the Third was in a 
pitiable state of mind. Though not yet forty- 
four years old, he was aged before his time. 
Half crazy in all his dealings, he seemed utterly 
demented whenever the American colonies were 

244 



Benjamin Franklin 

mentioned. On receiving the message from Par- 
liament lie flew into a passion, threatened to 
give up his crown, and abandon England for- 
ever. But he was forced to yield and dismiss 
the Tory ministry that had abused and insulted 
Dr. Franklin, and had schemed to oppress the 
American people. 

Overtures were again made to *'that crafty 
American" to induce him to treat with England 
by leaving his French friends out altogether. 
The British minister pompously hinted to 
Vergennes, the French premier, what might be 
done in case ^'England grants America inde- 
pendence." 

Minister Vergennes laughingly replied that 
England's consent would not be necessary. 
** America has already won her independence," 
he answered. **She does not ask it of you. There 
is Dr. Franklin. He will answer you on that 
point." 

**To be sure," added the old ambassador, ''we 
do not consider it necessary to bargain for that 
which is our own. We have bought our inde- 
pendence at the expense of much blood and 
treasure, and are in full possession of it." 

John Adams and John Jay were sent by Con- 

245 



The Story of Young 

gress to aid Franklin in negotiating the terms of 
peace. Without Franklin's philosophy, tact and 
humor these men would have offended the 
French by their narrowness and suspicions, and 
would even then have defeated their own ends 
with England. There were many preliminaries 
and delays, but the British king and the new 
ministry came to terms with the American com- 
missioners, and the treaty of peace was signed, 
in 1783, and the long and cruel war of the Revo- 
lution was brought to a close. 



CHAPTER XIX 



Home at Last 



Still another year passed before the old phi- 
losopher was allowed to return to America. He 
was weary and weak, now that the great struggle 
of his life was over, suffering from gout and 
other acute infirmities. While he was waiting in 
France, Thomas Paine submitted at least a part 
of the manuscript of his great infidel book, **The 
Age of Reason," to Dr. Franklin for his opinion 
of it 

246 



Benjamin Franklin 

The aged statesman who still regretted his 
erratum, when, a youth of nineteen, he published 
a skeptical pamphlet which won him the wrong 
kind of fame in England, wrote Mr. Paine an 
extended criticism of which the following is 
part: i 

"I would advise you not to attempt unchain- 
ing the tiger, but to burn this piece before it is 
seen by any other person ; whereby you will save 
yourself a great deal of mortification by the ene- 
mies it may raise against you, and perhaps a 
great deal of regret and repentance. If men are 
so wicked with religion, what would they be if 
witliout it V^ 

It was only during his last year in France that 
William Franklin came over from England to 
be reconciled to his father. 

Franklin was now so prostrated by his infirm- 
ities that he was unable to call upon the king to 
take his final leave, but the queen sent her sedan 
chair to carry him to the coast. On the 12th 
of July, 1785, the aged ambassador started on 
the slow journey from Passy to Havre, sur- 
rounded by admiring friends who escorted him 
all the way. He was met at different points on 
the road by great men in the French Church 

247 



Tile Story of Young 

and State, and they entertained him with royal 
honors. 

He sailed from Havre with his grandsons on 
the 28th of July, 1785. During the voyage of 
seven weeks he wrote three treatises as able and 
useful as any that he ever composed. On the 
morning of the 14:th of September the ship cast 
her anchor in the Delaware River opposite Phil- 
adelphia. He wrote of his arrival: 

"My son-in-law came with a boat for us. We 
landed at the Market Street wharf, where we 
were received by a crowd of people with huzzahs, 
accompanied with acclamations quite to my door. 
Found my family well. God be thanked and 
praised for all his mercies.'' 

The Market Street wharf mentioned here was 
the same landing at which he had arrived, sixty- 
two years earlier, a tired, dirty, rain-soaked, 
hungry, runaway lad. His own description of 
his reception was much too modest, for he was 
given such a greeting as only Benjamin Frank- 
lin could have received. A cannon volley an- 
nounced his arrival. The church bells — ^with the 
dear old Liberty Bell — ^rang out the glad tidings. 
At this pre-arranged signal the people flocked 
out of their houses and hurried toward the river, 

248 



Benjamin Franklin 

groups shouting to one another, "Franklin is 
come! Dr. Franklin has come home!'' Compa- 
nies of his fellow-townsmen escorted him to the 
modest home of his daughter. The faculty of 
the University of Pennsylvania, officers of the 
American Philosophical Society, the company 
of the State militia he had organized, and the 
justices of the city, all hastened to do honor to 
the grand old man of two continents. 

The Pennsylvania Assembly, which was in 
session when the old doctor returned, sent him 
a complimentary address. Washington, at 
Mount Vernon, wrote him a letter of congratula- 
tion. Franklin's ocean voyage had benefited 
him so much that they ventured to elect him 
President or Governor of Pennsylvania. Of this 
honor he wrote whimsically to a friend : 

"I had not firmness enough to resist the unan- 
imous desire of my country folk, and I find my- 
self harnessed again in their service for another 
year. They engrossed the prime of my life. 
They have eaten my flesh, and seem resolved now 
to pick my bones." 

President Franklin was carried to and from 
the State House (Independence Hall) in a litter. 
The following year he was re-elected president 

249 



The Story of Young 

and again in 1787. That year he was also made 
a delegate to the convention which met in Phila- 
delphia to frame the Constitution of the United 
States. He was then so feeble that all his 
speeches were read by his colleague, *'it being 
inconvenient for the doctor to remain on his 
feet.'' 

One motion proposed by Dr. Franklin is 
memorable because it is in marked contrast with 
the impression many have given concerning the 
aged statesman's religious opinions: 

^'^ Resolved, That henceforth, prayers implor- 
ing the assistance of heaven, and its blessings on 
our deliberations be held in the Assembly every 
morning before we proceed to business ; and that 
one or more of the clergy of this city be requested 
to officiate in that service. 

**Mr. President: The small progress we have 
made, after four or ^ve weeks' close attendance 
and continual reasonings with each other; our 
different sentiments on almost every question is, 
methinks, a melancholy proof of the imperfec- 
tion of the human understanding. 

* * I have lived, sir, a long time. And the longer 
I live the more convincing proofs I see of this 
truth, that God governs in the affairs of men, 

250 



Benjamin Franklin 

And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground with- 
out His notice, is it probable that an empire can 
rise without His aid? We have been assured, 
sir, in the Sacred Writing, that 'except the Lord 
build the house, they labor in vain that build it. ' 
I firmly believe this. And I also believe that, 
without His concurring aid we shall see in this 
political building no better than the building of 
Babel." 

Strange to say, the men of the Constitutional 
Convention had been so imbued with French in- 
fidelity so prevalent at the time that, even 
against this appeal by their benignant old 
mentor, they voted down his resolution. Frank- 
lin sadly recorded upon his written speech the 
fate of his motion, "The convention, except three 
or four persons, thought prayers unnecessary." 
The dear, kind old doctor! With him religion 
was tenderly interwoven with patriotism and 
patriotism with him was the religion of country. 

The feeble old patriot received a constant 
stream of friends and strangers in his daugh- 
ter's home and cheerfully chatted with them all. 
In entertaining them he was especially assisted 
by his three grandchildren. The last public act 
of his life was to sign a memorial to the new Con- 

251 



The Story of Young 

gress to abolish slavery in the United States. 

Even after he was confined to his bed he 
worked diligently writing his ** Autobiography '* 
and letters to many of his friends. One visitor, 
he thus wrote, ^ 'found me very ill with severe 
pains which followed a fall I had on the stone 
steps that lead into my garden, whereby I was 
much bruised and my wrist sprained so as to 
render me incapable of writing for several 
weeks. ^^ 

In his final illness Franklin's suffering was 
acute. He spoke of his death with characteristic 
serenity. One day he was seized with a fearful 
paroxysm of pain while a clergyman was pres- 
ent. The djdng man seeing the minister about to 
leave the room, called out in his agony : 

*'0 no — don't go away ! These pains will soon 
be over. They are for my good. And besides, 
what are the pains of a moment in comparison 
with the pleasures of eternity!'' 

An old Quaker woman, Sarah Humphries, 
nursed Dr. Franklin in his last illness, related to 
the Rev. David Ritter an incident in connection 
with a picture of Christ suffering upon the cross, 
when the clergyman expressed surprise at seeing 
it in Franklin's room: 

252 



Benjamin Franklin 

"Thee knows, David, that many make a great 
fuss about religion who have very little. And 
many who say but little have a good deal. He 
was never satisfied if a day passed away unless 
he had done some one a service. Benjamin 
Franklin was one of that sort. 

*'I will tell thee how that picture came here. 
Many weeks ago, as he lay, he beckoned me to 
him, and told me of this picture, upstairs, and 
begged I would bring it to him. I brought it. 
His face brightened up as he looked at it, and he 
said: 

** *Aye, Sarah, there is a picture worth look- 
ing at. That is the picture of Him who came 
into the world to teach men to love one another. ' 

"After looking at it wistfully for some time, 
he said, 'Sarah, set this picture up over the 
mantelpiece, right before me as I lie. I like to 
look at it.' 

*'When I fixed it up he looked at it very much, 
and indeed died with his eyes fixed upon it." 

He died at eleven o'clock at night, April 17, 
1790, at the age of eighty-four. Twenty thou- 
sand people attended his funeral. He was 
buried in Christ Church yard, beside his wife 
and little Francis. His son William, living 

253 



I The Story of Young 

in England on a British pension, and his daugh- 
ter, Sarah, survived him. 

He was the greatest of all teachers of industry 
and thrift. In many-sidedness, in wide recogni- 
tion and lasting influence, Benjamin Franklin 
was the greatest man America ever produced. 
He prided himself on having been chosen to 
stand in the presence of five of the greatest mon- 
archs of his day, and once referred to this fact in 
connection with the words of King Solomon the 
Wise (whose Proverbs are not so familiar as 
household words as the maxims of Franklin 
himself) : 

'*Seest thou a man diligent in his business? 
He shall stand before kings,' 



99 



THE END 



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